A Consistent Want
by Ferosh
Summary: Sequel to A Dietary Need. Following the story off where we left it at the end of HalfBlood Prince. RWHP Slash
1. Essence of Harry

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**Yes, I have published this first chapter quickly. I like to get things up quickly, and sometimes I get quite obsessed with my stories, I have to write to them! ENJOY!**

**A Consistent Want  
Part One: Essence of Harry**

The wind was cold on his face as they flew unseen through the air, clouds billowing past them and the moon bright between the group of witches and wizards. Ron thought if Muggles could see them – they were covered by a Disillusion Charm – they would exactly like the witches from those pictures by Muggles he had seen once or twice. Broomsticks, full moon right behind them, and Fred and George were cackling as the swooped along, hidden but their laughter still loud.

Ron looked down at the town below, brushing his red hair out of his eyes, he wondered how far away from Harry's aunt and uncle's home they were. But this thought was lost as he spotted a Muggle man taking out the trash, big plastic bag and all. He nearly giggled and lost of control of his broom at how useless and stupid some Muggles could be. He supposed he'd become so accustomed to using Magic out of school, now that he was seventeen, he'd been using it for a lot of small and unnecessary things that could be done perhaps even faster by hand. Ron didn't care; it was much more fun showing off to Ginny who was still the only one in the Weasley family who could not perform Magic.

Mad-Eye Moody gave the call and they began descending, down through the thin and low hanging clouds. Ron's heart was summer-salting and he had a smile glued to his lips, he was looking forward to seeing Harry again, though they had only been apart for a short time. He was desperately eager to see him, and make up for the little amount of time they had been separated.

Then they arrived on Privet Drive. The street was cold and deserted and it gave Ron the chills. Everything was so orderly, roses trimmed perfectly, and the green leaves on the hedges had not a twig out of place. Each light from the lamps shone at exactly the same voltage, giving the street a fake persona. It was so different from the Burrow, which was basically a huge ball of mess, well his room anyway. But it was home, this street certainly had no homely feeling it to. He'd been here before, but each time he knew there was something major missing.

When his feet touched the ground, he swung quickly off his broom and was about to run full throttle to the door of Harry's home, but a hand caught his shoulder and firmly held him in place. He stopped in mid run and nearly fell over his one feet as the hand gripped his shoulder, making him tense in pain.

'Not so fast, boy!' Mad-Eye ordered as he lifted the Disillusion charm off the group which included, Mad-Eye, himself, the twins, his father, Bill, Hermione, Fleur, Tonks, Lupin, Kingsley, Mundungus Fletcher and Hagrid.

Ron was glad when the tightness on his shoulder ebbed, and he had half a mind to run off to the door anyway. He didn't turn to face Mad-Eye but stared at the door where Harry would emerge from in a few minutes with longing on his. 'What?' he asked sulkily.

'Turn around.'

The door of number 4 Privet Drive opened, and out came Harry, his face lit up by a board and ecstatic smile. Ron felt Mad-Eye clasp his shoulder again, and he scowled for he was sure he would now have a bruise there and he was unable to run to Harry and engulf him in a hug, planting kisses across his face.

'Turn around, Ronald; I need to speak to you!' Mad-Eye barked, the tone in his voice made Ron jump to and he quickly turned around.

'What is it?' he asked, tapping his foot impatiently and then realizing it was quite a Hermione-ish gesture so he promptly stopped. Instead he crossed his arms and adopted an irritated glare.

'Stop sulking,' the older Auror commanded.

Ron, who was a little frightened of Moody, but would never admit this, didn't stop sulking but did he best to create an interested expression on his face.

'Better,' Moody said. 'Now listen, this is important. I've heard about the love affair between you and Harry, and I don't approve of it; not in that way, I just … Merlin! Never mind. Romances in this type of situation can be potentially dangerous -'

'But what about Fleur and Bill; Tonks and Lupin?' Ron interrupted to ask, feeling cheated and wondering if his mother had demanded that Moody talk to him and try to 'de-gay' him.

'They are married, it's different!' Moody yelled, he was always yelling and spoke loudly but never the less Ron flinched. 'Young romances are what get in the way, love-sick puppies trying to play hero and save their lovers, I'll tell you right now I won't stand for either you or Harry trying to save each other! We are all here to protect Harry and play out the plan, so you stick to what you've been told! All right?'

'Urgh,' Ron groaned, looking across at Harry who caught his eye and smiled. 'All right,' he said, defeated.

'No heroics, we just want to get Harry somewhere safe as quickly as possible, without too many people being hurt and someone tipping off the Death Eaters,' Moody said.

'I already agreed!' Ron yelled, and cringing at how blunt Mad-Eye was.

'Good,' Moody said, his fake eye zooming from Ron and then to Harry. 'I needed to make myself clear to you that if you screw up the plan and go off after Harry, just to make sure he's safe, there will be serious consequences. And probably from more people then just me! Now, go on,' he said a little more kindly.

Ron nodded like a child being told off by his mother and slunk off past Bill and Fleur, down the drive way to where Harry was standing inviting them all in.

'What was Mad-Eye saying?' Harry asked in a hushed tone, ushering Tonks and Lupin inside the house.

'Thanks for the 'hello, I've missed you so much,'' Ron muttered, stopping in front of Harry and grinning at him.

'Sorry,' Harry said hastily and pulled Ron into a hug. 'I have missed you,' he said, his voice muffled as he face was buried in Ron's neck. 'Just wanted to know …'

'Moody said that I couldn't be all heroic and try and save you or something,' Ron said grinning. 'But that's no problem seeing you always do the heroics.'

Harry frowned. 'I never do the heroics.'

'Don't be so modest, Harry,' Ron scoffed gently. 'You're the biggest bloody hero I know.'

They were the last ones outside; the others had all retreated into the warmth of the house. Hermione was still standing at the door and holding it open for her friends, waiting from them to finish saying hello. But a single hello could never stay that way. Ron's arms tightened around Harry and he pressed his face into the tangle of unruly hair.

'Harry, Ron,' Hermione said lightly, rapping on the door to catch their attention. 'We need to get going.'

Harry nodded against Ron's chest and pulled out of his arms walking briskly to the door, and disappearing inside. Ron however lingered outside for a moment longer, taking in the quiet neighborhood, with the perfectly trimmed gardens and immaculately paved drive ways. He heaved a sigh and headed towards the door, wondering what was going to happen to them all tonight. As Moody had told him, the possibilities could be endless and he should be prepared for anything. He stepped after Harry, closing the door behind him and following the noise into the kitchen.

'No!' Ron recognized the cry as Harry's. He smirked as he entered the kitchen to see Harry standing backed up against the fridge with his hands raised, Moody bearing over him. 'No way!' He'd just found out the plan, Ron knew he wouldn't like it. It would be awkward for Ron as well. Taking the form of Harry even for a short time would be very strange.

Ron was nearly keeling over from his laughter as Harry continued to protest, getting angrier and angrier by the minute. Eventually after threats of a fight, Harry succumbed and gave over some hair, wincing as he tugged it from his head.

After being handed the Polyjuice Potion, with added essence of Harry, Ron gulped. He looked across to Harry apologetically, trying to get across that this was not his idea, and he didn't like it just as much as Harry did. Though after thinking about it, as he stared down at the amazingly golden Potion, he could have never of thought of something this clever.

'Ooh, you look much tastier than Crabbe and Goyle, Harry,' Hermione trilled looking at Harry with a beam of her face. Harry shrugged and peered over Ron's shoulder at the cup in his hands. Ron glared at Hermione and she flushed muttering something about, 'Oh, you know what I mean, theirs looked like bogies.'

'Fake Potters line up here!' Moody barked, and all rushed to stand before him, holding their cups.

Suddenly Ron felt a pair of lips pressing against his own, and he nearly slopped the Potion down his front, the urgency of the kiss giving him a shock. Just as he began to kiss back, Harry pulled away, a barely noticeable red tinge flittering across his face.

'Sorry,' Harry muttered, stepping back from the line of people. 'Just didn't want to do it when he would be me, bit weird …'

Ron nodded along with a few others. Yes, that would be weird, beyond weird. There was probably a law against making out with your double when under the influence of Polyjuice Potion. Moody, however, shot Ron and Harry an icy glance. Ron knew he was sending them a warning; it was time for business not kisses.

'Altogether then …' Moody said, urging them all to swig out the cups they held.

He, Hermione, the Twins, Fleur and Mundungus drank deeply. Ron gasped as he tasted the liquid, not from disgust or because it tasted foul, but because it tasted exactly like Harry did. He flushed and quickly swallowed the Potion, handing the glass to Bill who dumped it unceremoniously in the sink. He then felt himself changing; he had often described using Polyjuice Potion as being one of the weirdest experiences ever. But this surpassed everything he had said, he was changing into the person he loved most, this was certainly _very _weird. He felt his body shrinking, noticed his fringe growing longer and darkening. He looked down at his palms and saw his freckles shrinking away to be replaced by smooth, light skin. Ron had touched all of his newly acquired form when it was Harry, the fact that he now looked identical to Harry sent shivers up his spine. He reached a tentative hand up to his forehead, and there it was. The scar, so jagged and rough against the rest of Harry's silky skin. He quickly pulled his hand away as he caught Harry – the real one – watching him as he stroked his scar. Ron quickly pulled his hand away and began shifting uncomfortably from foot to foot.

'Bloody hell,' he said to himself, voice cracking as he shrugged apologetically towards Harry and listened to Mad-Eye's booming instructions.

* * *

Ron's stomach flipped as the Portkey escorted him and Tonks back to the safe haven of the Burrow. His appearance had gone back to his own and he was happy for that, because Harry's legs weren't as long as his, so whenever he had taken a step he'd over stretched and nearly fallen over. Even as he placed a finger on the broomstick that would take him back home, he felt weak but an once proud of himself. He had stunned a Death Eater, got him right in the head. Ron didn't know whether they had been chased by Bellatrix and Rodolphus because they thought he was the real Harry Potter or if it was because Tonks was with him.

It was a matter of seconds, leaving him little time to worry about the situation at the Burrow, before the Portkey came hurtling out the blur and catapulted him and Tonks into familiar surroundings. He saw a collection of people standing before the run-down house; all looking frightened, and relieved but not hurt. Tonks landed in a long skid, pebbles flying out around her, she got up and sprinted for Remus who was standing looking rather awkward with his arms open wide. Ron didn't achieve something as graceful as her landing – which was a surprise for the ever clumsy Tonks – he landed hard on his bottom.

It was Hermione who rushed forward to help him, Harry seemed fused to his place just outside the door way. Hermione pulled him to his feet and clamped him in giant hug, pushing all the breath from his lungs. Over her shoulder Ron stared longingly at Harry, who very so often chanced a glance at the sky before coming at a trot over to them. Hermione finally let him go, and Ron could breathe again. Harry pulled him into a hug, his awkwardness and apparent shyness – which puzzled Ron, for Harry was never shy – was gone.

'Are you ok?' Ron asked both of them, after Harry had relinquished his hold on him.

'Fine,' Hermione said, she glanced at Harry who stared back at her, the fire in his eyes intense. 'Fine,' she huffed again. 'I'll go.' She wandered off to listen to Tonks tell them what had happened.

'Voldemort can fly,' Harry said in a rush.

Ron stared at the sudden explosion of words. 'He can – what?'

'He can fly!' Harry said a tinge of annoyance in his voice. The day had obviously been very stressful for him, and them all but Ron thought, crossing his arms there was really no need to get angry. 'He can bloody fly! What the hell?!'

'I think someone's a little jealous?' Ron said trying to be funny and drawing back from Harry a few steps not wanting to get caught in the fire when his anger exploded.

'I am not jealous!' Harry said his voice dangerously high. 'How did he know I was being moved tonight! Someone must have told him, Merlin who?!'

Ron grasped Harry's shoulders, bringing his mouth down on the anger ridden boy's hard. Harry struggled to get away from the kiss, still brimming with anger. The kiss hadn't worked the way Ron intended it too.

'Ow!' Harry yelped, glaring up at Ron. Ron was glad to see that those who still remained outside were either ignoring them or could not hear Harry's shouts. 'That hurt!'

'Sorry,' Ron said grinning gawkily. 'I thought it would calm you down.'

'I can't help getting angry!' Harry groaned. 'I'm sorry, Ron, I … its just frustrating.'

'Yeah,' Ron said, looking back up to the sky. 'But remember, Hermione and I are coming with you when you leave, we won't leave you.'

* * *

'Fresh air,' Harry muttered and rose quickly from the table, leaving all those who sat around the table staring at him as he escaped.

Ron glared at them all, and let his fork clatter to his plate. Harry had been on a short fuse all night, and the comments of Ron's father and Remus were not helping to lessen his mood. Also the news of Mad-Eye's death had fallen on them all hard. They were all shocked, and Harry had taken this shock and added it to his anger, making his fuse even shorter. He rose from the table and quickly followed Harry. Hermione had looked as though she was about to rise as well, but then thought better of it and sat back down.

'What's the matter, Harry?' Ron asked. He had never been good at sympathy, but lately he had really been trying to console Harry and comfort him. Ron hoped feverishly that he noticed these attempts.

Harry was standing at the gate, the over grown plants growing tall around him. His hand was pressed to his scar and his eyes were clenched shut. 'Scar hurts,' he muttered.

He came to stand beside Harry, and reached towards the scar. Harry flinched back a little, only used to people wanting to see it and not touch it. Harry moved his hand and allowed Ron to reach down and run his fingers along the scar.

'Ah,' Harry sighed, 'that feels good.' He leaned forward into Ron's soothing fingers; his eyes not clenched shut but closed in content.

Ron jumped in fright as Harry let out a snarl of pain and pushed his hands away from his forehead. His eyes were clamped shut, and his hand had hurtled forward to his scar.

'Harry?' Ron asked, nervously. 'Harry? Bloody hell, Harry!'

Then as soon as it had happened Harry snapped out of it, his knuckles white as he held onto the gate. 'Ron,' he murmured, feeling for Ron's hand with his own. 'Ollivander has been killed by Voldemort, I saw it …'

If it was not for Harry's hand keeping him in place, Ron surely would have fallen over from shock of these words. 'Your scar … but I thought … you aren't supposed … what?'

'I don't know!' Harry said loudly, caressing his scar again. 'Ron, please,' he muttered. 'I know it's not supposed to happen, but I can't help it, I never learnt how to close my mind properly.'

Ron saw that he was massaging his scar with force now. He reached out and grabbed Harry's hand with his free one and pulled it away from his face. 'I'll do it,' he said and softly began to run his fingers along Harry's lighting bolt scar. 'Better?' he asked as Harry leant his weight against him, the shorter boy was shaking.

'A bit, thanks.' Harry was smiling at him.

'Harry?'

'Yeah?'

'Is your scar always this hot?'

'No, only when it hurts.'

Ron drew back his hand, hoping he wasn't making the pain worse.

'No,' Harry said softly. 'It's nearly stopped hurting and it's relaxing having your hand there.' Harry pulled Ron's hand back to his forehead.

Ron smiled glad he was of some use.

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**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	2. To Turn the Lights Out

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Two: To Turn the Lights Out**

Ron and Harry had fallen asleep in the same bed, exhausted from the large dinner with the Delacours, and from reading about Horcruxes in the books Hermione had acquired for their hunt. They had practically fallen asleep as soon as their heads hit the pillow. During the night they had wound up entwined in each other's arms. That was until Harry began muttering the same name in his sleep and twisted out of Ron's grasp.

When the missing warmth of Harry pressed against him wormed its way into Ron's sleeping mind, he woke with a start. He could now hear Harry muttering and murmuring next to him and twisting and turning in the sheets.

'Harry,' Ron hissed, prodding his friend roughly in the shoulder. '_Harry.'_

Harry opened his eyes and Ron leaned over cautiously looking at him. Ron pulled him closer again, as Harry was nearly falling off the small single bed. Harry smiled when Ron protectively embraced him.

'Why did you wake me?' Harry asked him quietly.

'You were muttering in your sleep.'

'I was?'

'You kept saying "Gregorovitch."'

'I did?' Harry sounded mildly surprised, like he hadn't remembered what ever he had been dreaming. Ron noticed he was squinting at him, and even though they were close to each other Ron knew how bad Harry's eye sight was. He quickly pulled out his wand from underneath the mattress and _accio-ed _his glasses over for Harry.

'Who's Gregorovitch?' Harry asked groggily, resting his head against Ron's shoulder causing him, though he did not smile, to break out into a blush.

'I dunno, you were the one saying his name,' Ron said and then bristled slightly. 'It should be my name you're moaning out in your sleep,' he teased.

At this comment Harry pulled away from abruptly. 'Ron,' he said sternly. 'I think Voldemort was looking for him. I don't ever want to dream of you.'

Ron frowned.

'The reality is better,' Harry quickly added. Harry sat up, but leant back against his chest, allowing Ron to wrap his arms around his waist. Ron smiled and nuzzled his neck, kissing and sucking it softly. 'I think he's abroad,' Harry continued, ignoring Ron's attempts to seduce him.

Ron stopped kissing Harry's neck after he had no response. He figured he'd try again later. 'Who, Gregorovitch?'

Harry shook his head. 'No, Voldemort.'

Ron was immensely proud of himself; he had begun to notice he no longer flinched when the name was spoken. He could hear it without problem now, but he still hadn't managed to say it yet. Ron didn't reply, not wanting to as a shocking thought hit his mind. Was Harry still seeing inside Voldemort's mind?

'Why is the name Gregorovitch familiar?' Harry asked him, snapping Ron out of his dark thoughts. 'Like it's something to do with Quidditch …'

At this Ron's mind clicked. Of course he'd heard that name before. Dragomir Gregorovitch, supposed to restore hope to the Chudley Cannons, and was transferred with a record cost, but ended up leading the team into more failure. He relayed all this information to Harry, who shook his head.

'No, can't be him I'm thinking of.'

'I try not to either,' he said, shrugging his shoulders and remembered the hopes the Cannons had with him and how he hadn't restored former glory either. 'Oh, Harry,' he said, beaming across at him, 'happy birthday!'

'Oh yeah!' Harry exclaimed and shuffled closer to Ron. 'I forgot!'

Ron laughed and kissed his forehead, a few centimeters away from his scar. 'You always forget.'

'I guess that's just because when I was at the Dursley's they never really cared about my birthdays,' Harry said. 'Until I came to Hogwarts no one really cared about it, so I didn't either.'

'I got you something,' Ron said, and leant over the side of his bed and came back holding a small royal red pouch in his hands. 'Happy Birthday, Harry,' he said again and kissed Harry softly pushing the present into his hands as he did.

Harry was beaming and blushing from all the attention when Ron broke off their kiss. 'What is it?' Harry asked, running a thumb across the soft surface of the bag.

'Open it,' Ron said, urging him on.

Watching as Harry opened his gift, Ron worried and wondered whether he would like it or not. He had even gone as far as to ask Hermione what her opinion on the present was. She had thought Harry would like it. When Ron had been briefly staying at Grimmauld Place, he had often trekked upstairs to visit Buckbeak when the creature had grown tired of Sirius' company. Ron didn't really like the bird thing, as its size and strength terrified him. But the bird's feathers had caught his eye. Though they were only a dull grey colour, when you held them up to light they shone amazingly brightly. After Ron had collected the feathers Buckbeak had molted, he had interrogated Hagrid about them who had said there was a story in which a hippogriff's feathers are supposed to bring luck. So Ron had kept the best feathers he had found in Buckbeak's molt and kept them, giving a few to Sirius Black who had been interested by them also. It hadn't worked for him though, he'd still died. But Ron hoped that maybe an extra bit of luck was what Harry needed.

'What are they, Ron?' Harry asked when he had tipped the bag upside down at the feathers had wafted out onto his lap.

'Hippogriff feathers,' Ron said picking one up and holding it to the light which shone through the window. 'They are supposed to bring luck.'

'Mm, really?' Harry mused, taking the feather from Ron's hand and twirling it around in his fingers. 'How'd you know that?'

'Hagrid told me.'

'Do they _really?' _Harry asked a hint of disbelief in his voice as he gazed across at him.

'Yeah, ask Hagrid,' Ron said, pulling the bag from Harry's lap and putting the feathers back inside it and handing the bag back to Harry who smiled wistfully. He didn't want to get annoyed at Harry's lack of belief.

'Thanks, Ron,' Harry said, brushing his back hair away from his face and wrapping his arms around Ron's neck in a tight embrace. 'You care so much,' he added.

'Yeah,' Ron grunted, feeling himself blush. 'I do care.'

* * *

_'"The Last Will and Testament of Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore" … _hang on, yes, here we are … _"To Ronald Bilius Weasley, I leave my Deluminator, in hope that he will remember me when he uses it."' _

Scrimgeour delve back into the bag he was carrying, and Ron fought to stop himself from kicking the pompous man in the face. Harry must have noticed his expression because he grabbed into Ron's forearm tightly, prohibiting from doing what he wanted.

The reason Ron wanted to kick the Minister for Magic was that he had waltzed in on Harry's party completely uninvited and proceeded to badger the three about what Dumbledore had left them in his will. He was bewildered though, that Dumbledore would leave him such a precious item, and it was strange. He had never really gotten to know the headmaster. Harry had, yet Dumbledore was leaving something in _his _possession. His feelings of puzzlement were, however, overcome by his want to inflict bloodily harm to the Minister who was a right a prick and they all knew it.

He was handed the Deluminator which looked simply a silver cigarette lighter. Ron knew that with one click he could suck the light out from all lights – Muggle or Magical – that were turned on. He turned the Deluminator over in his hands, looking at the small designs that littered the back and front.

'This is a valuable object,' said Scrimgeour in a self-important tone, his eyes never leaving Ron. 'It may even be unique. Certainly it is of Dumbledore's own design. Why did he leave you an item so rare?'

Ron shook his head, unknowing as to why the late Professor had left him something so valuable.

'Dumbledore must have taught thousands of students, yet you're the only ones he remembered in his will. Why is that? To use what use would you have put his Deluminator, Mr Weasley?'

Ron shrugged, wondering why Scrimgeour thought he'd know now when he didn't about thirty seconds ago. 'I dunno, turn out lights, I s'pose.'

Scrimgeour stared at him for a few more seconds, narrowed his eyes and then turned back to the will in his hands. He began questioning Hermione on why Dumbledore had left her a book called _The Tales of Beedle the Bard, _and why she would find it "entertaining and instructive."

When he came to Harry, Harry scowled, put one hand on his hip and took Ron's hand. Which greatly surprised Ron, though the Minister had seen them together down by the lake front after Dumbledore's funeral, Ron supposed he taken that scene to be one of comfort. Harry taking his hand before Scrimgeour was definitely showing him they were together. The Minister cocked an eyebrow, stared blankly at their hands and then hurtled on, handing Harry the Golden Snitch.

After the Minister had finished interrogating Harry enough, and had uncovered nothing about why Dumbledore had left them such interesting, rare and unusual gifts he had left; glancing once more at the entwined hands of Ron and Harry.

* * *

Harry had let the Snitch free, and they were sitting on Ron's bed watching it flutter around the room. As Harry was watching it, he traced a path across Ron's wrist. Ron was squirming and shuddered as he did this, he was particularly ticklish there.

'Thank you for my present,' Harry said randomly, as his fingers climbed higher up Ron's arm.

Ron smiled, nodding and fighting the urge to laugh and push Harry away from him as Harry continued to tease him. 'Git,' he said sharply when it became too much, 'that tickles!' He shoved Harry away from him.

Stopping himself from falling off the bed, Harry rolled back on top of Ron, kissing his ear and running his hands across him, finding his ticklish spots.

'Prick,' Ron said breathlessly, still trying to push Harry off him.

'Ass,' Harry countered.

'Bastard.'

'Swot.'

'Don't compare me to Percy, please,' Ron said, causing Harry to smile. Harry's movements across Ron's arms and chest faltered, and Ron pushed him off and straddled him, grinning down at the trapped boy. 'Hah,' he said triumphantly.

Harry tugged at the base of Ron's shirt, and he looked down at where he was sitting. Sure enough, there was a slight bulge in Harry's jeans. Ron stared back up at Harry who smiled and sat up, careful not to dislodge Ron from his hips.

'Ron,' he whispered into his ear. 'Is there another part to my present?'

Ron shuddered as Harry then licked his earlobe tantalizingly. He was often amazed at how good Harry made him feel, he wanted to return the favor. 'What do you want?' he asked, rubbing his hands across Harry's chest.

'I want you to suck me.'

Ron let out a breath, and looked at Harry not knowing what emotion was displayed on his face.

'You don't have too,' Harry said hurriedly. 'I just –'

'Shut up,' Ron told him. 'I want to, I haven't done it before. What if I hurt you?'

'You won't,' Harry promised. 'I trust you. You let me take you, remember?'

'How could I forget?'

'It hurt you, but you trusted me and let me keep going. I want you to suck me so I can trust you.'

_Horny bastard, _Ron thought with a smile to himself, _seducing me with words, but I want to suck him. I want to do more than that to him. _Ron knew that his would happen in good time, they had plenty of time.

'Ok,' Ron nodded and kissed him, softly at first, their lips barely touching. But Harry quickly got bored of the teasing game Ron liked to play when kissing him and held the back of his head firmly in place. Ron moved a hand around to the back of Harry's neck and entwined his fingers in the messy lock of hair at the nape. His hands shifted up through the untidy strands of black hair, while Harry's mouth was still locked against his.

Harry broke the kiss, shifting up so he sat higher. He began to nibble on Ron's earlobe, biting at the place he had licked. Ron moaned his hands at Harry's shoulders; Ron could feel himself growing hard. Biting harder at his lobe, Harry quickly suckled away the sting. Ron whimpered, and trailed his hands down Harry's chest, towards his final destination. Harry bucked his hips as he reached the tip of his jeans, encouraging him. Ron grinned at Harry and unzipped the jeans, pulling them down, Harry helped by wriggling out of them.

He stroked the bulge in Harry's pants softly, making Harry groan with anticipation. They were both so new to this, Ron not knowing what to expect and scared of not being able to please Harry and Harry, afraid to hurt him or tell him he was beautiful for fear Ron would deny it. Ron knew he would deny it, tell Harry he was bonkers and that he was the beautiful one, not him. Harry's dark and disheveled hair, sparkling green eyes, perfectly toned body. He was the perfect seventeen year old, faithful, courageous, caring, and determined and Ron loved him with all his heart. He wondered why Harry loved him. He was just another Weasley.

Ron hated himself, he always had. Sometimes he wanted to know what it would be like to be Harry, in many ways that was what sparked his love. Being Ron Weasley had never come with rainbows and butterflies, but being Harry Potter hadn't come with that either. But Ron was number six, with five talented brothers to live up to already; he was shoved back into his own shadow more then once. Yet as his feelings for Harry had grown, Ron realized that Harry's life was wasn't as good as it had seemed.

Now, Ron couldn't say he hated himself. He had plenty of reasons too hate himself. But the fact that he had Harry, and Harry loved him and that he had friends, brilliant friends was enough to make him love himself.

'Ron?' Harry asked quietly.

'What?' Ron asked, blinking suddenly. He'd been lost in thought, with his fingers wrapped around Harry's erection; he'd been lost in thought. He blushed, furiously. 'Sorry, Harry. I was thinking about something.'

'It's ok,' Harry said thrusting up into Ron's hand, reminding him he was still there.

Smiling, Ron kissed Harry's stomach, just above the erection and whispered, 'I love you.'

'Love you too,' the reply was haste but it didn't mean that Harry never meant what he said.

Ron licked tentatively across the head of Harry's erection; he pushed down on Harry's stomach to stop him from arching his back in pleasure. He flicked his tongue out again, tasting pre-cum. He then opened his mouth wide and wrapped it around the head of Harry's penis fully. Any noise Ron wanted to make was muffled as his mouth was full, but he managed a small moan. Moving his mouth slowly down the length of Harry's shaft, Ron heard a soft moan and he knew he was doing his job properly. Using his hand he wrapped it around the base of Harry's erection and when his mouth went up the hand would follow. It was effective and brought Harry to an early release a number of minutes later. Harry came in his mouth without warning, though he did let out a snarl like purr seconds before his release.

He flopped back against the bed, next to Harry and sighed. 'Did you like it?' he asked, stroking the damp hair away from Harry's forehead.

'Best birthday present ever,' Harry said. Harry wrapped his arms around him, nestled his head into the crook of Ron's neck. 'Thank you,' he whispered.

'You're quite welcome,' Ron said, grinning. 'You taste really nice,' he added in a sultry tone, enjoying Harry shiver next to him as he said it.

There was a knock at the door and Hermione's shrill voice ran through the attic room. 'Uh, can I come in now?'

Ron flushed deeply and Harry reached for his pants pulling them hastily up past his lip cock. 'You could have come in ages ago, Hermione!' Harry called out to her as she entered the room.

The Snitch dove towards her, and she swatted it away with a casual hand. 'I know very well that I could not have come in ages ago. You two were,' she blushed, 'busy.'

'Is there anything you want to talk about?' Harry asked her, leaning back against Ron as she came and sat on the end of the bed.

'Well, yes,' Hermione said showing them her newly acquired copy of _The Tales of Beedle the Bard. _'Why did he give us all these things?'

Ron understood _he _to mean Dumbledore. 'Why didn't he give us a hint about what we are supposed to do with them? Now, I've got a Deluminator which is bloody handy, but how does it help? And Hermione has a book. And Harry has a sentimental Snitch.'

'There can't be anything vaguely helpful about these things!' Hermione said and flicked frustrated through the pages of her book.

The Snitch taken to flying around there heads, moving in and out of focus and flying against Harry's lips quite on accident. Harry sighed and reached out grabbing the little thing tightly in his hand.

'May I?' Hermione asked, extending her hand.

Harry nodded and gave her the golden ball. She quickly trapped it with her fingers and held it up to her face so she could inspect it. 'Look!' she cried out in glee, sitting up hurriedly so Beedle the Bard fell to the floor with a thud. 'There's writing!'

She was right, Harry snatched the Snitch back from her in a flurry of excitement and saw that where before there had been no words there was a looped writing. It read: _I open at the close _in Dumbledore's hand writing. Ron was peering over Harry's shoulder.

'What does that mean?' he asked.

'No idea,' Harry muttered, pressing and prodding at the Snitch trying to find the _close. _

They all repeated the words, trying to find hidden meanings in them, but after several agonizing minutes they gave up. No matter how many times they said it, nothing happened.

'The sword,' Ron said remembering. 'Why did he want Harry to have the sword?'

'I wish he'd just told me!' Harry said, irritated by their useless attempts. 'The sword was there! It was right there on his wall all through last year, couldn't he of just given it to me then?'

Ron was being to feel frustrated too. He scrunched his face up in deep thought, but no matter how hard he thought nothing came to him.

'And what about this book?' Hermione asked, sitting back down on the bed and picking up the heavy bound book. 'I, for one, have never even heard of _Beedle the Bard!' _

'You've never heard of _The Tales of Beedle the Bard?' _Ron asked incredulously. 'You're kidding, right?'

'Of course not!' Hermione said in surprise. 'Do you know them?'

'Well, course I do!'

Both Harry and Hermione looked at him, Hermione looking shocked and Harry looking perhaps even more so. Ron felt quite smug, and bemused. He had read a book Hermione hadn't! And knew about it when she didn't! 'Oh, come on!' he said. 'All the old kids' stories are supposed to be Beedle's aren't they? _The Fortune of Fair Fountain … The Wizard and the Hopping Cauldron … Babbity Rabbity and her Cackling stump …' _

'Pardon?' Hermione asked, in a fit of giggles. 'That last one …?'

'You've never heard of Babbity Rabbity?'

'Ron,' said Hermione. 'You know full well that Harry and I were raised by Muggles! We didn't read those stories; we read ones like _Snow White and the Seven Dwarves _or _Cinderella.' _

'_Cinderella?' _he asked, snorting. 'Sounds like a disease.'

'So these are Children's stories?' Hermione asked stroking the cover of the book. 'Except I wonder why Dumbledore thought I should read them?' She snapped the book closed. 'We should go to bed, we shouldn't over sleep tomorrow.'

'No,' Ron agreed. 'A brutal murder might just put a damper on the wedding.'

'Night Hermione,' Harry muttered.

'I've got the lights!' Ron called with great joy and used his Deluminator to turn them out.

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**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	3. The Lynx and the Weasel

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Three: The Lynx and the Weasel**

The wedding day was bright and clear, and the garden looked spectacular. And many people had come to celebrate Bill and Fleur's marriage. Though Ron didn't care, he was horrible bored by the whole thing. The actual nuptials had been tedious; with Madame Delacour and his mother both sobbing loudly into handkerchiefs. But afterwards while mingling with the guests and walking with Harry who was disguised as Barny Weasley, they had found out many interesting things. Also they had seen Viktor Krum, whom Ron had always disliked apart from being a sporting hero, and blatantly ignored while he talked to Harry and flirted with Hermione. Ron had distracted himself from the boring party by demanding Hermione dance with him, as Harry could not and two Weasley boys dancing together may be something to speculate about.

Dancing with Hermione was wonderful; she was a good dancer and talked about everything except the current situation with … Voldemort. Ron had uttered the name once to Harry, who'd beamed brightly and kissed him, obviously rewarding him from breaking away from the fear that the name held. During the pockets of silence while he and Hermione danced to the music – soft violins and a melodic piano, Ron looked around for Harry. He looked for the normal Harry before remembering that Harry was disguised as a Weasley cousin, and then cursed himself and tried to find the right face under all the blobs of red hair. There had never been so many Weasley's in one place at one time. They had once had a family reunion when Ron was ten, but that had been disastrous. Fred and George and a particularly mischievous son of Ron's father's brother – his cousin - had set fire to the tents, and told many of the old Weasley's that all the food they had just eaten had been spiked with some kind of aging potion, perhaps it wasn't an aging potion, but never the less the old geysers had had a fit. It had been funny, Ron remembered that, but the aftermath not so amusing and the wrath of his mother was terrifying.

As the day wore on Ron and Hermione danced a little more, after they had completely lost track of Harry in the crowd. Ron suspecting he was chatting away seriously to someone about anything that had recently been publicized in the Daily Prophet.

'Ron, I can't dance anymore,' she said stopping mid-way through song. 'I'm going to find Harry, could you get all of us something to drink?'

Ron nodded and slipped off, looking while Luna's father stormed off, his face red and followed by an equally vexed Viktor Krum. They had been arguing and by the looks of things, Krum wanted to curse Lovegood. He shrugged not wanting to cross Krum or have to come running to Xenophilius' aid, but he kept an eye out in case it got really heated.

The bar was empty as everyone else was chatting away to each other or still dancing. He grinned over at Fred and George who were talking swiftly to some French girls who must be Veela, because no normal person could be that radiant. Ron wondered if there were any Veela males, he snorted. He wanted to see Hermione's reaction to that would be. If she'd contain herself or loose it like many at Hogwarts had when Fleur had arrived.

He leaned over the bar, ignoring the help of the Weasley who was supposed to be working it and pried three Butterbeers from it. He turned around and began to walk back to where he could see Hermione sitting with Harry. Suddenly something large silver, like a wisp of fog, fell through the canopy. Gracefully the lynx landed in the middle of the dance floor, someone uttered a yelp of surprise. Ron wondered who the Patronus belonged too. The Patronus's mouth opened wildly and the booming, deep, commanding voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke.

'_The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming.' _

The bottles in Ron's hand feel to the ground with a crash, silenced by the panic that erupted. Ron's first thought was to find, Harry and Hermione. He beat his way towards them, through the thronging and panic hordes of people all trying to get out. He found Harry quickly who was attached to Hermione's arm, he grabbed Harry's other arm. Suddenly darkness engulfed them and everything seemed to move in slow motion. They were moving, away from the Burrow, away from family, and away from the descent of the Death Eaters, and perhaps Voldemort himself.

'Where are we?' Ron spluttered as they landed. There were still people around them, heaps of people; maybe they hadn't even left the Burrow at all.

'Tottenham Court Road,' panted Hermione. 'Walk, just walk, we need to find somewhere for you to change.'

Ron nodded and jogged up the street, before settling into a brisk walk. The road was full of late night travelers, lined with shops and double-decker buses zoomed passed them. Ron turned a brilliant shade of pink was pub-goers gawked at him and Harry, who were still dressed in their dress robes.

'Hermione,' Ron said exasperatedly. 'We haven't got anything to change into!' He turned away as a girl burst into giggles at the sight of his robes.

'Why didn't I make sure I had the Invisibility Cloak on me,' Harry muttered. 'All last year, I kept it on me!

'It's ok,' Hermione said. 'I've got the cloak, clothes for you both, just act normally,' she instructed them.

'Let's act normally when we just appeared in a street of packed Muggles, wearing what might be dresses. Bloody hell! Harry and I may as well do it right here,' Ron said, feeling flustered.

'Shut up, Ron,' Harry hissed at him.

'This will do,' Hermione said, and led them into a dark and deserted alley way. She opened her purse and dug deep inside it, searching for something.

'Hermione, when you say you have our clothes and the cloak …' Harry asked, frowning at her. Ron felt utterly bewildered; she wasn't visibly carrying anything apart from the small beaded bag.

'Yes, they're here,' she said and to Ron and Harry's amazement she pulled out a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, some maroon socks and finally the cloak.

'How the ruddy hell …!'

'Undetectable Extension Charm,' she informed them. 'Tricky, but I've done it ok; I managed to fit everything we need in here.' She gave the bag a little shake, and it sounded like a fully packed cargo. 'Oh, that'll be the books. I had them all stacked by subject,' she peered inside. 'Oh well, Harry you take the cloak and Ron get changed into the clothes.'

'When did you do all this?' Harry asked while Ron got changed, stripping off the dress-robes, and exposing parts of his skin to the cold night air. He shivered and quickly pulled on the clothing.

'This morning,' Hermione said, sounding a little guilty.

'Amazing,' Ron breathed out in thanks as he handed her back his bundled up dress robes.

'Thank you,' Hermione said, smiling slightly. 'Harry! Please get that cloak on!'

* * *

Seconds after the fight with the two Death Eaters - no real damage had been done to Ron, Harry and Hermione except that Hermione had cut Ron's knee by accident and it was hurting him as he stepped – the found themselves standing in the familiar shabby street under the lamplight. Tall, large houses bore down on them and number 12 was visible as they raced towards it. They kept checking every second or so that no one was following them as they tore up the pathway. Harry tapped the door once with wand, and then clicks and slides of bolts being undone were heard and the door swung open. Ron brought up the rear, still limping a bit at the pain that coursed through his knee. The gas lights flickered on as Ron shut the door behind them. It was just as he remembered it, just with all the life sucked out. Long, dark curtains covered the portrait of Sirius's mother, and Ron was thankful for that, they didn't need her ugly face bearing down at them now.

'I think someone's been here,' Hermione whispered, frozen to the spot, pointing to a stand that had been knocked over.

'That could have happened as the order left,' Ron said, sounding as nervous as Hermione did.

'Where are the defenses they put up against Snape?' Harry asked fearfully.

'Maybe they only go off when he's here.'

'We can't stand here forever,' Harry muttered and took a step forward.

_'Serevus Snape?' _Mad-Eye Moody's voice echoed through the room, and Ron jumped holding his hands up as if he was at wand point.

'We aren't Snape!' Harry croaked, cringing back.

Ron then felt a wave of cold air blow over him and his tongue curling back, making it impossible to speak. Before he had time to find out what was happening, his tongue unraveled and he felt like he needed to throw up.

Hermione stammered, 'that m- must have b-been the T-Tongue tying cruse Mad-Eye set up for Snape!'

Ron saw Harry taking another ginger step forward. Something shifted in the shadows at the back of the hall, and he groaned softly, and before Ron could say anything or make more noise a figure had risen up out of the carpet – tall, brown and terrible. Hermione screamed, as did Mrs Black her curtains flying open; the brown figure was hurtling towards them faster and faster. A wasted finger pointed towards Harry who raised his wand and shouted, 'NO!'

'No,' he said again. 'We didn't kill you! It wasn't us!'

After the word 'kill' the figure exploded in a great cloud of dust, Harry got the worst of it, Ron and Hermione were just sprinkled with a fine layering. Dust swirled around them and then to add to their troubles Mrs Black began to scream.

'_Mudbloods, scum of the Earth, to taint shame on the house -' _

'SHUT UP!' Ron and Harry bellowed at once. Harry had pointed his wand at her, and with a quite pop a burst of red sparks the curtains swung shut again, her cries muffled.

They moved into the lounge area, away from the entrance way with the dust thing and Mrs Black. Ron anxiously headed towards the windows, peered out of them. Thankfully he saw no one prowling the streets. 'Can't see anyone out there,' he muttered. 'If Harry still had the Trace on him, they would have followed us here … Harry?'

Harry had given a growl of pain and sunk to the floor clutching at his scar. Ron ran forward and crouched beside Harry, wanting to place his hand across his forehead.

'Don't,' Harry warned him, his voice ragged with pain.

'See anything, Harry?' Ron asked.

'No, he's just angry, really angry.'

'Is everyone ok, is he at the Burrow?' Ron asked, panic strong in him. He was worried for the safety of his family; he'd left them when they had probably needed him most.

'I don't know,' Harry muttered, his eyes clenched shut. 'He's just angry.'

'Harry!' Hermione said, shocked. 'I thought you closed the connection!'

'It did for a while,' Harry groaned. 'But when he's really emotional, I think it opens up or something …'

'But then, you've got to close your mind!' Hermione said screeching at him. 'Dumbledore didn't want you to use that connection! He wanted you to close it, that's why he wanted you to learn Occlumency. Otherwise, Voldemort can plant false pictures in your mind -'

'Hermione!' Ron bellowed, glaring at her. 'Shut up! Can't you see he's pain?'

Suddenly after Ron had yelled at her, Hermione screeched and Harry turned and drew his wand. 'It's ok,' Ron told him, a hand on his shoulder. Harry was shaking beneath his fingers. 'Its dad's Patronus.'

The silvery Weasel bounded into where they stood and stopped before Ron, it opened its mouth like Kingsley's had done and soft in Arthur's voice. '_It's ok. Family safe, do not reply, we are being watched.' _After speaking this, the Weasel then dissolved before them into thin air.

Ron sunk down beside Harry, feeling relieved. 'Thank Merlin,' he murmured and pulled Harry into a hug. But Harry pushed him off and rose, scurrying for the bathroom, hand at his scar.

'Do you think he'll be ok?' Hermione asked Ron, biting at her fingernails.

'No,' Ron said truthfully.

'Ron,' Hermione said. 'You shouldn't be upset that you're worried about your family and not caring about him. Because you are caring about him ok? And you're allowed to be worried, they're your family.'

'How'd you know I was thinking about that?'

'It's written all over your face,' Hermione said and rose from where she was seated on the sofa. 'I'll go see if he's ok.'

Ron groaned and leant down to inspect his injured knee. It wasn't too bad, the cut wasn't very deep but he needed to clean before the dust from this place infected it. He drew out his wand and uttered a simple spell to remove all the blood that had seeped down his leg. There was nothing clean to bandage his leg with, so he left it exposed and hoped it would heal itself.

About ten minutes later Ron was nearly drifting off to sleep as Harry emerged from the bathroom, followed by a white looking Hermione and sat down next to Ron. Hermione pointedly left the room, wand drawn as if something was waiting in the shadows for her.

'Did you see anything?' Ron asked him, as Harry curled up next to him.

Harry nodded and sighed as Ron wrapped his arms around him. 'I saw Malfoy; he's being used by Voldemort, torturing people and things. If he doesn't do it, he gets tortured himself.'

Ron scowled. 'Why do you think Malfoy chose to be a Death Eater?'

'I don't think he has a choice anymore,' Harry muttered, pressing his face against the warmth of Ron's sweater.

Ron stroked his hair, and avoided touching Harry's scar, not sure as to how he would react this time. 'Are we safe here?'

'I think so, if they knew where we were they'd have come by now.'

He nodded, dust failing from his red hair. 'Harry?'

'Mm?'

'I love you so don't do anything stupid.'

Harry laughed and Ron was glad to hear it. 'I love you; I won't do anything stupid if you don't.'

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**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	4. Two in One

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Four: Two in One**

Ron woke the next morning wrapped in a warm sleeping bag. He looked next to him and saw that an abandoned sleeping bag was lying to close to his and Hermione was on the other side of that, her back turned to him and breathing deeply. The sleeping bag so close to him must be Harry's; Ron placed a hand inside it. It was still warm so Harry had only got up a moment ago. He sighed profoundly, stretching out the stiffness in his arms and legs as he looked to window, of which the curtains were slightly parted. A string of sky was visible through the curtains and Ron saw that it was sometime between dark and light. Groaning, he looked up at the cobwebbed ceiling and chandelier above them. The thing was so old Ron wondered why they had chosen to sleep beneath, what if the joints had rusted and fallen on them. But then Ron remembered the fiercely good sticking charms around the house had and was reassured the light would not fall until the residence was demolished and even then it would refuse to leave the bit of ceiling to which it was stuck. He looked over to Hermione who was propped up on the pillows Ron had demanded she sleep on, he'd originally wanted Harry to sleep on them, but Harry's expression had told he wanted to be close to him that night. The pillows would just make things awkward. 

Feeling stuffy and hot inside the sleeping bag, Ron wriggled out of it and winced as he stepped on the board of the floor that creaked. But Hermione did not stir, she slept on. It was only when he illuminated the tip of his wand and reached the foot of the staircase that the fact that Harry's sleeping bag was empty really set in. He hurtled up the stairs, now not bothering if he woke Hermione. His first and most primal instinct was to find Harry. Pausing in the middle of the staircase, unsure if he should continue upwards or break off here and check this level, looking up he saw a dim light, wand light. He ran up the stairs reaching the top level and darting along the corridor until he reached what had been Sirius's room. Ron felt a pang of sadness; of course Harry would be here. The boy – not scratch that, he was now a man, having recently turned seventeen – had and would always feel responsible for the death of his Godfather. But it was not his fault. Voldemort – pride at thinking the name surged through him again – had provoked him by playing with his mind, teasing and taunting him until he came to the rescue.

He stepped into the doorway to see what Harry was doing. The room, Sirius's old room was a right mess, Ron wondered if Harry had done it while he searched for whatever he wanted to find. The room was large, larger than his attic room, and must once had been a grand room. There was a hefty bed with a carved headboard, a tall window covered by moss eaten curtains and a chandelier nearly identical to the one where they had spent the night. A sprinkling of dust covered every single surface in the room, apart from Harry who sat in the center of the room just before the bed, his head bent over a piece of parchment.

Stepping into the room, a floor board creaked under his weight and Harry's head strained around to see who it was. 'Just me,' Ron said walking freely into the room now Harry had seen him. 'Sirius's room huh?'

Harry nodded, wiping at his eyes.

'All right?' Ron asked, sitting on the bed and then quickly reconsidered as a puff of dust swarmed around him. He sat on the floor leaning against the bed facing Harry who looked tired and pale.

'Fine,' Harry said hoarsely. 'Look at this,' he handed Ron the letter.

_Dear Padfoot_, the letter read.

_Thank you, thank you, for Harry's birthday present! It was his favorite by far. Only one year old and already zooming around … _

Ron put the letter down, not sure if he wanted to read anymore of it. He knew what happened after Harry turned one year old. Harry had found a letter before his parents had died, detailing their existence and Ron didn't want to read anymore even if Harry wanted him to. 'You had a cat,' he said as he saw the word.

'Yeah, seems funny doesn't it. We had a cat,' Harry sighed and handed Ron a photograph.

In the photo was a black haired baby zooming around on a toy broomstick, giggling like he was having the time of his life. Around and around he went, a pair of legs that must have been his fathers following him as he went. 'You were a cute baby,' Ron said giving the letter back.

'Mm,' Harry mused. 'I couldn't find the other half of the letter; someone must have taken it before we got here.'

'What, you mean you didn't make this mess?'

Harry shook his black hair. 'No, someone searched the place beforehand, Ron, I just said so.'

'Oh, sorry.'

'In the letter, my mother mentions someone called Bathilda Bagshot. She must be the Witch who wrote A History of Magic.'

'She's still alive,' Ron said. 'Aunt Muriel was babbling on to me about her.'

'She said the same thing to me,' Harry muttered. 'She said that Bathilda knew Dumbledore's family, be pretty interesting to talk to her.'

Ron moved across from the bed and sat beside Harry. 'We're already going to Godric's Hollow, that's where she lives. Thank Merlin for Auntie Muriel, right?'

Harry laughed. 'Yeah.'

'Hungry?' he asked.

'Not really, are you?'

Ron shook his head though his stomach grumbled in protest and Harry smirked. 'You sure?'

'Not really that hungry, I can wait,' Ron said smiling as Harry leaned into kiss him. But before their lips touched there was a shout.

'Harry, Ron!' Hermione bellowed from outside the door. 'Come here now!'

Harry scrambled to his feet and held a helping hand out to Ron who took it and was pulled up. They jogged out to the corridor and saw Hermione standing out there in front of the door next to Sirius's, the only other door on the landing.

'R.A.B,' she muttered pointing at the sign on the door. 'Isn't that what the note said Harry? R.A.B, Harry, R.A.B!'

'What's the matter with her has she gone crazy? Ron asked.

But Harry didn't reply as he had gone to stand beside Hermione to look where she was pointing. 'R.A.B!' he yelped in joy and hugged Hermione, jumping up and down like he was an excited child. Ron moved to stand beside Harry and Hermione and saw the sign on the door. It was like something Percy would have written and had written when he was young, and trying to keep the twins out of his room.

_Do Not Enter _

_Without the Express Permission of Regulus Arcturus Black _

So of course they entered.

It took a few shoulder charges and a hurried Alohomora from Hermione before the door would swing open for them to enter. They moved over the threshold together, examining in the room. It was only a little smaller than Sirius's room had been, and unlike his which was been used to display his difference from the rest of the family, Regulus had wanted to emphasis his connection to his family. The silver and green colours of Slytherin decorated the walls, and the Black family crest had been painted over the bed with care and possession. The family motto was painted beneath the crest, _Trojous Pur. _Underneath this sitting on the pillow was a collection of newspaper articles that clumped together from neglect.

As Hermione went to look at them, Ron crouched to his knees and peered under the bed and wardrobe looking for what might be the real Horcruxe. The changes of Regulus simply hiding it in his room where low and he thought they all knew that, but still they continued to search.

'These are all about Voldemort,' Hermione told them as she flipped through the clippings.

'Must have been a fan,' Ron grunted as he reached under the wardrobe feeling for anything, instead all his fingers closed on was dust. He gave up and leant against the wardrobe irritated from the lack of interesting things in the room. He looked towards Harry who was peered at the photos that hung around the room.

'He was a Seeker,' Harry muttered, and Ron just caught his words.

'Really?' Ron asked, heaving himself to his feet and went to stand beside Harry.

'Look,' Harry pointed to the gaunt looking boy with dark hair and haughty eyes. 'He's in the middle where the Seekers sit.'

True enough Harry was correct, Regulus had been a Slytherin Seeker, and somehow that just increased Ron's dislike for him.

'Not as handsome as you,' Ron said observing the team and Regulus and Harry grinned.

'Cheers Ron.'

'No, I'm serious!' Ron said prodding the photo. 'There is you way up on the high end of the handsome scale and him … right down the bottom. He's a Slytherin; it's where he should be.'

Harry laughed, whether it was because what he had said was funny or because he thought it was true, Ron did not know. 'In a situation as serious as this, I can't believe you can joke like this, Ron.'

'I'm not joking! You really are _the _single most handsome bloke I have ever seen,' Ron eyed him for second. 'Do you want me to be serious?'

'No,' Harry shrugged while he spoke. 'Someone has to find things funny and make a joke at least once a day.'

'And either you or Hermione can be counted on for that?'

'Someone needs to be funny.'

'So what am I just the 'funny and mildly entertaining' sidekick?'

'Didn't mean it like that, Ron,' Harry muttered.

'Urgh,' Hermione groaned loudly in frustration breaking them off from their impending argument. 'There is a much faster way to do, - _accio locket!' _

Ron held his breathe expecting the real Horcruxe to come zooming out from where, but it didn't, nothing stirred in the messy room. 'Not here then?' he asked, stepping away from Harry.

'Oh, it could very well still be here, just under counter-enchantments,' Hermione said. 'You know charms to stop it from being magically summoned. We'll just have to search manually.'

'What's the use of learning Magic when there's all this other crap stopping you from using it properly?' Ron grumbled as he fell back onto his hands and knees, crawling under the bed to look there.

Harry laughed and Ron glared out at him from under the dusty bed. He scowled as he rummaged through the piles of rubbish muttering that he was not a sidekick. As he chucked out pieces of discarded paper from underneath the bed for Hermione to look over, he saw Harry's feet walking around to the foot of the bed where his head was. Ron shied away like a frightened animal, it was an instinct and he just did as he didn't want to speak to Harry.

'Ron?' Harry had crouched down and was looking under the bed at him.

'Nothing down here,' Ron muttered in reply. He was about to move out from under the bed when Harry pressed his hand against his head, keeping him in place.

'Don't move,' Harry said.

'What? Find it funny?' Ron spat.

'No, if I let you out you won't talk to me, I've got you trapped under here.'

Ron groaned. 'Fine, what do you want?'

'I want to apologize for what I said before, ok?' Harry said, his hand moving from Ron's head to cup his cheek. 'I'm sorry; you're not the sidekick at all. I just think you're funny. Merlin, Ron, as if you don't already know that!'

Before Harry had begun to stroke his cheek, Ron had wanted to pull away but the sensation was calming and relaxing. He found he didn't want to pull, perhaps he even wanted to here for a while, gathering dust balls. Ron closed his eyes and nodded. He did get treated a bit like the sidekick, no matter what Harry said, and all the fake apologies he made. But maybe being the sidekick wasn't such bad thing, it'd mean he'd get to go with Harry wherever he went and make sure he didn't get into any trouble. He had always been a sidekick to Harry, and he realized this now and before. And maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.

'It's ok,' Ron said pulling himself out from under the dust infested bed. 'Just, you know, went a little over board with the accusations. Sorry,' he added for good measure.

'My fault,' Harry insisted, helping him out.

Ron slid out from under the bed, pulled by Harry and found himself face to face with him. He instantly flushed red. He diverted his eyes from the intensity of Harry's greens one, looking down he saw he had a line of dust along his sweater. 'Merlin,' he hissed. 'Doesn't Kreacher ever clean?'

'Ron!' Harry yelped. 'You're a genius.'

'What? I didn't say anything,' Ron replied flabbergasted.

'Yes, you did! Kreacher knows every single inch of this house and has worshipped every single item belonging to Regulus after he died. He must know something about the real locket!'

Hermione who had been listening when Harry had raised his voice in excitement and triumph said. 'When we cleaned the house two years ago, we could have thrown it out without knowing what it was.'

'Didn't he keep everything we threw out anyway?' Ron asked. 'Got a little shrine somewhere or something like that?'

'Yeah, he does!' Harry said. Suddenly he stood to his feet and pulled him up with him, squeezing Ron into a tight embrace, thrusting the air from his lungs. After the hug he pushed Ron out and stared at him before kissing him soundly on the lips. They drew apart with wet noises as Ron's lips pouted for more. 'Why didn't we think of this sooner!' he asked them all.

Both Ron and Hermione shrugged not wanting to intrude on Harry's moments of utter joy and happiness. They both jumped when he bellowed, 'KREACHER!'

Ron ran towards the door, running to go and check were Kreacher slept in a cupboard in the kitchen. As he pelted along the stairs he nearly overshot the kitchen door, backing up he ran inside and wrenched open the door. All he saw was a mass of blankets, unkempt and smelly. The hordes of trinkets Kreacher had stolen from Sirius and now Harry who owned the house were gone, all that was left was a book about Wizard Lineage. Harry darted in next to him, and shook the sheets wildly as if he refused to believe that there would be nothing in here. All the rolled out was an old dead mouse and Ron jumped back with a squeak of shock; after all it had landed on his shoe.

Harry looked angry and he pulled out of the small cupboard and shouted, 'KREACHER!' loudly again. The house-elf could no longer pretend his master had not called him.

There was a _crack _and a small creature appeared beside the fireplace. Ron grimaced, Kreacher's presence was even more horrible then it had been when they had first met him. He looked shorter, his skin greyer and baggier now hanging off him in folds. The only thing Ron really noticed though was that his ears where huge, and little grey hairs sprouted out from them.

'Master,' Kreacher croaked, 'is back in the house of my mistress with the blood traitor and the mudblood.'

'Kreacher, I forbid you call anyone 'blood traitor' or 'mudblood',' Harry said, glaring at the ugly thing. He quickly continued in earnest when Kreacher had nothing to say, not even objections. 'Do you know if Regulus ever had a locket,' he pulled the chain over his neck and showed Kreacher, 'like this one?'

'Yes. Master threw out Master Regulus's golden locket, but Kreacher found it,' the elf replied, hissing out his words.

'Did you keep it?' Harry asked.

'Yes, Master.'

'Where is it now?'

'Gone.'

'What do you mean, gone?!'

The elf shivered and he swayed.

'Kreacher, I order you to tell me!' Harry said, shouting now.

'Mundungus Fletcher,' the elf said, disgust clear in his voice, though Ron wasn't sure, he seemed to speak constantly in that tone.

'Dung?' Ron asked.

'Don't call him that Ron,' Hermione whispered.

'I was talking about Mundungus, not Kreacher. But the name suits them both.'

'What happened, Kreacher?' Harry asked.

'Mundungus Fletcher stole it all,' Kreacher said his eyes clamped shut. 'He stole it all, everything. Miss Bella and Miss Cissy's pictures, my Mistress's gloves, the Order of Merlin, First Class, the goblets with the family crest on them. _Kreacher has failed!' _the elf wailed. '_Failed his mistress, failed his family!' _

Then the elf dove towards the fire place, grabbing at the hot poker, but Harry had seemed ready for this and had jumped on him before he reached it.

'Harry, don't,' Hermione warned. 'Get off him.'

'He'll just poke himself with the poker,' Harry muttered. 'Kreacher, how do you know Mundungus Fletcher stole the locket?'

'Kreacher saw him with his own eyes,' the elf said pointing towards his bloodshot gaze. 'Kreacher saw him coming out from Kreacher's cupboard with his hands full of Kreacher's treasures! Kreacher told him to stop, but he laughed and ran away with his arms full of Master Regulus's locket and my Mistress's treasures!'

Ron sighed as Harry continued to interrogate Kreacher; he knew he should probably be listening to what was being said being said, but both Harry and Hermione listening with intense interest and occasionally horror, he was left to his daydreams. What had been on his mind every since they arrived at Grimmauld Place was when Harry would touch him again, not just a kiss or a quick hug, but a long embrace – a passionate embrace. Ever since Harry's birthday it had simply been quick hugs and kisses. Ron had thought Harry had wanted to spend last night curled up in his arms, but as soon as Harry had fallen asleep he had rolled out of Ron's eyes, leaving him to sleep alone. Ron hadn't wanted to wake him, so he hadn't gathered him up in his arms again. This night Ron wouldn't let go even if Harry told him to bugger off, he wanted Harry to sleep in his arms like the year before hand and during Christmas. 

Ron flinched out of his thoughts as Kreacher gave a howl of sadness. He looked, the elf was clutching Regulus's fake locket to his chest and fat tears were streaming down his face. Harry was looking quite taken back. It had taken nearly twenty minutes for them to calm Kreacher down again. He had been so honored about receiving a 'Black family heirloom' that he was unable to stand on his feet for sometime. When he had regained his balance, all three accompanied him back to his cupboard and watched him tuck away the fake Horcruxe in the dirt blankets.

'Kreacher, remember to find Mundungus Fletcher and bring him back here as soon as you find him.'

Kreacher made a sound that sounded like a thank you to Harry but more like a hick-up. He bowed to Ron and Harry and made a spasm in Hermione's direction that could have very well been a salute of some kind. Then he left with a loud _crack_.

When Hermione had tottered out of the room, saying she needed rest, Ron threw himself into Harry's arms, nearly knocking them both off their feet. Ron kissed Harry deeply, their tongues sliding against each other. Harry moaned as Ron kissed him deeper and harder.

When they pulled apart Harry looked at Ron and asked, 'What was that for?'

'I don't need a reason to kiss you, do I?' Ron said and kissed him again.

* * *

**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	5. Dung's Capture

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* * *

**

**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Five: Dung's Capture**

Ron had spent the last few days watching Harry pacing around the house, waiting for Kreacher's return and fiddling with his thumbs. Ron had been originally confident that Kreacher would return quickly as he seemed to squeeze through many tight spots before. A tight spot here referring to a lake full of Inferi. Kreacher had not returned by the second day, however two cloaked men had arrived outside the house and were standing there, just watching.

'Death Eaters surely,' Ron said as Harry crashed down on the dust ridden couch once he had tired of pacing to and fro. 'Reckon they know we're in here?'

'If they knew they'd have already come in, wouldn't they?' Harry said.

Ron sighed, knowing this was probably true. 'Hermione said something to me last night when they first arrived that they probably knew you were here.'

'Snape probably came in and got his tongue tied up by Mad-Eye's curse and couldn't tell anyone about it,' Harry replied softly. Ron noticed Harry's hand was lying open on his lap like he wanted him to take it.

'Yeah,' Ron grunted. 'Otherwise they'd have already gotten in. Do you think they're just waiting for us to show up or something?' He put his hand in Harry's who instantly tightened his fingers around his.

'I hoped you'd notice,' he said nodding towards their now joint hands.

Ron shrugged. 'It was obvious,' he grinned. He suddenly felt like there was some big gap between them, though they were only a centimeter or so apart and shuffled closer to Harry to close it. Harry sighed happily and rested his head against Ron's shoulder.

'I wish Kreacher would come back,' he muttered to him. 'I want to smash something.'

'You can smash me if you'd like,' Ron offered.

Harry's green eyes widened at this suggestion, he had taken it in a completely different way from what Ron had meant it. 'Really?' he asked slyly.

Ron's blue eyes narrowed as he figured out Harry's interpretation of his words. 'I didn't really mean in that way, but if you want too …' he trailed off, biting his lower lip.

'I was going to punch a wall or Mrs Black to release my energy,' Harry said, nuzzling into Ron's neck. 'But 'smashing' you sounds much better.'

Ron chuckled at the tone of Harry's voice and succumbed to the soft kisses on his neck. 'Here?' he managed to gasp out. 'Now?'

'You offered,' Harry said grabbing his shoulders and pushing him down against the couch, straddling his waist. Ron leaned up, his elbows supporting his weight and kissed Harry, darting a tongue along his bottom lip. For a minute Harry didn't kiss him back and when Ron hungrily arched up for more his lips were finally met. Harry's arms wound around Ron's neck, as the two continued to kiss and peck at each other's faces and lips.

'Where's Hermione?' Ron asked when the kiss broke for a scant second. Harry pressed their foreheads together, his glasses pressing into Ron's face.

'Reading that book Dumbledore gave her, why?' Harry asked as he began to work on the buttons of the blue checkered shirt that Ron had burrowed from Sirius's wardrobe, he had refused to wear one of Regulus's.

'Just don't want her to walk in on us or anything,' Ron muttered, helping Harry undo the offending buttons.

Harry nodded. 'Be a bit awkward, wouldn't it?' They had finished undoing Ron's shirt and Harry slid it from his arms and threw it over his head. Harry shuffled down Ron's legs a little so he could have better access to his collar bone and chest. Letting a purring noise he never knew he could make only spurred Harry on when lips touched his lower neck. Ron's hands had moved around to the small of Harry's back of their own accord, and were slowly edging their way under his t-shirt, touching and soothing the cold skin there.

The dark haired boy's hands were just about to trail lower when Moody's voice could be heard in the corridor, 'Severus Snape?' Harry sprang off Ron and tiptoed nervously to the door, wand in hand tightly. Ron followed up behind him, and leaned against him to peer around the doorway. The cloud of dust had risen and now fogged their view of the stranger.

'It was not I, who killed you,' a soft voice from under the hood spoke as he took another step towards the approaching cloud of dust. Or the Cloud of Dirty Doom as Ron had affectionately named it. The dust man vanished as these words were spoken and a new layering of powder began sprinkling down over the corridor and still blocked their view of this intruder.

'Don't move!' Harry barked, pointing his wand at the center.

Mrs Black's horrific screaming when her curtains flew open made Ron jump out behind Harry and Hermione come crashing down the stairs, her wand held out before her and the book clutched in one arm.

'Don't fire!' a familiar voice yelled that had Ron straining his ears to try and recognize it. 'It's me, Remus!'

Feeling relieved, but still half starker's, Ron lowered his wand, thankful that someone from the Order had found them. But Harry was still tense beside him, his wand was still pointing rigidly at Remus.

'Prove it,' he demanded.

'I am Remus John Lupin, werewolf, sometimes known as Moony, one of the four creators of the Marauder's Map, married to Nymphadora Tonks, usually known as Tonks, I taught you how to produce a Patronus, Harry, which takes the form of a stag,' Remus said, spurting it all in one quick breath.

'Oh, all right then,' Harry said, lowering his wand. 'But I had to check, didn't I?'

'Yes, Harry, you had to check. Ron and Hermione, you should not be as quick as to lower your guard.'

Ron made a face, but was still excited and happy to see Lupin. He looked exhausted but they harried him into the next room, eager for details.

* * *

The session with Remus had left Ron utterly exhausted. He collapsed onto the old master bed he and Harry had adopted as their own, after conjuring new sheets and nearly new everything apart from the mattress. Harry was still downstairs talking and consoling a somewhat dispirited Hermione after they had all read about the Muggle-born register. Remus had left after he had told a number of shocking things – the first being that Tonks was with child, second being that he basically wanted to leave her and come gallivanting with them. He had left when Harry had gotten angry, blown his fuse, and called him a coward for wanting to leave his wife and unborn child. What Remus had said about the new Minister and Muggle-born registrations had shaken him to the bone. Muggles, now supposedly stole Magic from other Wizards and Witches, they where required to register with the Ministry to discover 'how they come to possess Magical gifts.' Pius Thicknesse was in the midst of all this, he had become the new Minister after the death of Scrimgeour. Remus had told them that he was under the Imperius Curse and being controlled by Voldemort. The news had scared Ron, though he didn't want to openly admit this to anyone, perhaps only to Harry. He was scared because the Wizarding world was quickly becoming completely controlled by the Dark Lord. He was also scared because this now meant the search for the Horcruxes would be going at a much faster pace and danger was slowly tightening its grip on their throats.

He sighed and pulled the fresh sheets about his face, remembering why they hadn't just conjured a completely new bed. Because this one was so bloody comfortable, they had just shot all the cleaning spells all three new at it. Combined with a fresh aroma and look, and new sheets, pillows, and cases the bed may of well have been new. Hermione had not been happy about this arrangement, and had wanted them all to sleep near each other in the great lounge area. Ron and Harry however had wanted to be comfortable in the old run down house, both knowing this may the last ounce of comfort they could expect for a while. They were taking what comforts they could now. So grudgingly, Hermione had taken the room nearest to there's and conjured herself a completely new bed.

The door clicked open and lamp light from the staircase flooded the room, Harry stepped into the room the floorboards creaking slightly under his step. 'Ron?' he asked quietly.

'Yeah?' Ron asked, not moving in the warmth of the bed.

'Just wondering if you were still awake,' Harry muttered. There was a rustling noise of clothes being discarded and a second later Harry was sitting on the edge of the bed, sliding under the covers next to him.

'How's Hermione?' he asked. Ron twisted onto his side so he could get a better view of Harry who was staring right up at the roof. He had decided he'd talk to her about it in the morning, in case she needed to rant more about how indecent it was.

'She's alright,' Harry said. 'Not going to let it bother her though.'

'She won't register will she?'

'Of course not!' Harry said. 'Then they'd take her in straight away and try and get information about where I am out of her.'

Ron shuddered, knowing that trying would mean to torture her until she gave in. 'They'll be looking for her though.'

'Yeah, I guess,' Harry replied, running his hands down in face and groaning. 'I can't believe Lupin!' he added with a hint of a snarl.

'You can't admit that he'd not be helpful if he came with us,' Ron said then added, 'Merlin, he'd be helpful!'

'I suppose,' Harry said. 'But seriously! Wanting to leave Tonks as soon as he finds out she's bearing his child … no child should be parentless.'

Ron nodded. 'Yeah, I reckon. You didn't need to call him a coward though, Harry.'

'He was being a coward.'

They lay in a stony silence for a number of minutes, Ron staring at the side of Harry's face and Harry staring at the ceiling. Ron heaved a great shy and asked, 'Tired?'

'Yeah,' Harry said with a faint smile. 'Don't know why though, it's not like I've been doing much. Just sitting here and watching the Death Eaters outside.'

'Do you think they left before Lupin came?' Ron asked confused. 'I mean he had no trouble from those pricks so they must have buggered off before he came along.'

'Or else they would have followed him in and then, well we honestly wouldn't be lying here,' Harry added. He yawned, hand covering his mouth before he turned to Ron. 'Come here?' he asked.

Ron nodded and moved closer to Harry, invading his side of the bed. Harry's arms closed tightly and protectively around him as he snuggled into the boy's chest. Harry stifled another yawn when Ron had finally settled comfortably in his arms.

'Good night, Ron,' Harry said softly.

'Night, love,' Ron said to him. It took a few seconds for what he had just called Harry to actually print itself in his mind, but when he realized his eyes shot open and he chanced a glance up at Harry.

Harry was looking bemused and he looked back down at Ron. 'Love?' he asked.

'Yeah,' Ron grumbled. 'It just kind of slipped out, ok?'

'No need to get tetchy, Ron,' Harry said with a soft laugh and then a yawn. 'I liked it.'

'Even though it was completely cheesy and bloody stupid?'

'Yeah.'

'Ok.'

* * *

When the spoon was halfway towards his mouth, laden with cereal and milk and loud bang erupted around the kitchen. He let out a yelp and the spoon clattered to the table, the contents slopping themselves over his (Sirius's) clean shirt. A struggle of arms and legs appeared at the same time as Harry's face appeared from behind the newspaper. The mass of arms and legs had appeared by Harry's chair and in an instant he was out of it, fumbling for his wand.

'Kreacher has returned with the filth, Master!' Kreacher cried, the usual croak gone from his voice. He disentangled himself from Mundungus and scurried away.

Mundungus was reaching for his wand and Harry had just found his, but before he or Ron or Mundungus could shout anything, Hermione and shrieked, 'Expelliamrus!'

Mundungus's wand soared into the air and Hermione caught it, wide eyed. The thief stared around at them all in shock, his eyes wide like Hermione's. Ron saw that Dung was about to sprint for the stairs and he Rugby tackled him to the floor, struggling with him.

'What?' he bellowed as Ron's grip tightened. 'Wha've I done? Settin' a bleedin' house elf on me! Wha've I done? Lemme me go, or I'll …'

'You aren't in much of a position to make threats,' Harry concluded looking around at the three of them; Ron smirked at the wriggling man in his arms.

Harry walked over to Mundungus and Ron pushed him off him, panting as he stood. Harry pointed his wand directly at Mundungus's noise, pressing against the skin.

'Kreacher apologizes for the delay, Master,' Kreacher said in a voice that was nearly singing. 'The thief was hard to corner.'

'You've done very well,' Harry praised him and Hermione smiled at the little elf that turned away from her with a confused expression on his face.

'We have a few questions for you,' Harry began, but Mundungus quickly shouted: 'I panicked, ok? Never wanted to come along, never, no offense taken I hope. When that bleedin' You-Know-Who flew right at me, anyone woulda gotten outta there.'

'For information, none of the rest of us Disapparated,' Hermione spat at him, fury in her eyes and her hands on her hips.

'Bunch a bleedin' 'eores.'

'We don't want to know why you ran out on Mad-Eye,' Harry said quickly. Ron wanted to know and he wanted to sock Dung one, a big heavy one.

'Then why am I being 'unted down by 'ouselves?' Mundungus asked. 'If this is about the goblets, I ain't got any left!'

'It's not about the goblets either, though you're getting warmer,' Harry said. 'Now shut up and listen. When you cleaned this house of anything valuable,' Harry began but Dung interrupted him again.

'Sirius never cared.'

'Shut up!' Ron shouted at him, his face red.

There was a sound of pattering feet underneath Ron's cry and a dull twanging thud as Kreacher ran at Mundungus brandishing a frying pan. He smashed it against Dung's head.

'Call 'im off, 'e should be locked up! Crazy elf!'

'Kreacher, no!' Harry yelled at him. 'No!'

Kreacher lowered the pan, but didn't loosen his grip on it.

'When you took all the valuables from this house, was there a golden locket?' Harry asked, Dung nodded. 'What did you do with it?'

'Why?' Mundungus asked, his eyes narrowing. 'Is it valuable?'

'He's still got it!' Hermione yelped happily.

'No, he's wondering if he should have got a higher price for it,' Ron smirked, shaking his head the pitiful man.

'More?' Mundungus scoffed. 'Wouldn't have been bleedin' difficult, gave it away for free.'

'Who'd you give it to?' Harry asked intently.

'I was tryna sell it on Diagon Alley, an' she came up to me asking if I has a permit an' such. Bleedin' snoop. But she took a fancy to the locket an' told me she wouldn't report me if she could 'ave the locket.'

'Who was this woman?'

'I dunno, some Ministry hag.' Dung thought for a minute. 'Wrinkled, bow on top of 'er head … looked like a toad.'

Ron froze, his wand falling from his hand. His own expression of shock was reflected in the faces of Hermione and Harry. He reached down and rubbed his hand consciously, imaging feeling it prickle. He was only brought out of this trance by another loud clang as Kreacher whacked Dung over the head with the pan again.

* * *

**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	6. Yesterday, Today and Now

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**

**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Six: Yesterday, Today and Now**

'I think we should do it tomorrow.'

Ron choked on his soup staring wilding at Harry and desperately trying clear the liquid from his wind pipe. Hermione's spoon clattered against the table as she thudded him on the back also looking at Harry like he was a mad man.

'Thanks,' Ron spluttered in Hermione's direction.

'Tomorrow?' she asked Harry incredulously. 'You can't be serious?!'

'I think,' Harry said, 'that even if sulk around the Ministry entrance for another month and keep putting it off we won't be any more prepared then we are now. Umbridge may have even thrown the locket away when she couldn't open it.'

'I happen to like procrastinating,' Ron muttered, reaching for another laden of the soup Kreacher had made for them.

Both Harry and Hermione turned to stare at him. 'What?' he asked. 'I use big words sometimes too.'

Hermione shot him one last look and turned back to Harry. 'Really, Harry?' she asked.

'We know as much as we can,' Harry told them, his eyes settling directly on Ron, but he quickly turned his eyes to Hermione. 'We know they've stopped Apparition to the Ministry and only the most senior employees have their houses connected to the Floo network now. Ron, you heard those two Unspeakables complaining about it right?'

Ron nodded, his fringe flopping forward into his eyes. He needed to get it cut as he could always see a frame of ginger at the top of his eyes.

'And,' Harry continued, 'we know roughly were Umbridge's office is, because you what you heard that bearded bloke say to his friend, Hermione -'

'"_I'll be up on Level One. Dolores wants to see me,"' _Hermione recited automatically.

'Exactly,' Harry said. 'And we also know that they have to use those funny little tokens, or coins to get in, because we saw a Witch lend one to her friend.'

'But we haven't got any!' Hermione said.

'If the plan works we will have.' Ron was glad Harry was keeping a calm and reassuring voice, because a small amount of doubt had crept into his mind.

Hermione however voiced her doubts. 'I don't know, Harry,' she said, trying her hardest to sound wise. 'There's an awful lot that could go wrong, so much relies on chance!'

'Even if it does we could spend another three months preparing and still not be ready,' Harry said to her.

Ron was scared and he knew his face portrayed it, but he didn't care. Harry was right; they had enough information to go in with but even if they tired to gather more; there was no time like the present. They had tailed Ministry workers, eavesdropped on their conversations, and using the Invisibility cloak to get inside they had steadily built up sketchy maps and detailed drawings of the Ministry. The notes and maps were now stacked before them, taking up most space on the kitchen table.

'Ok,' he said slowly and shakily. 'Tomorrow is good. But I think it should just be me and Harry,' he added knowing Hermione's current situation and not wanting to jeopardize things for her.

'Oh don't start!' Hermione barked at him, an angry tinge colouring her face. 'I'm perfectly capable of doing this kind of thing; unlike you I have some coordination!' Ron was expecting a reply like that.

He tapped his finger on the Daily Prophet dated ten days ago. 'You're on the list of Muggles who didn't present themselves for interrogation!'

'I'm coming no matter what, Ronald!' she replied angrily. 'Or if you and Harry want to treat this as a romantic outing, I'm fine with that!' she spat.

Ron was not expecting that retort. 'Bloody hell, Hermione!' he yelled, the hot soup he was spooning into his mouth fueling his anger. 'How'd you even say that? Merlin pant's, we are in the middle of a bloody serious situation here, and you go off saying that breaking into the Ministry could be a romantic outing.'

Hermione spun around to face Harry, eager for his thoughts on this budding argument. To both Hermione's and his shock, Harry was gone, his seat empty. Kreacher was hovering around the table, looking at them both with huge orb like eyes. Ron and Hermione gazes both turned to him and the elf pointed in the direction of the bathroom.

'I offered Master treacle tart, but Master said bathroom to Kreacher,' the elf said, nodding enthusiastically. Ron noted with a hint of disgust that Kreacher was becoming more like Dobby every single day. He wasn't sure which one he disliked more, Kreacher, Dobby or a Kreacher like Dobby.

'Look what you've done!' Ron said, facing Hermione again and shooting her a heated glare.

'I highly doubt I've done anything,' Hermione said resuming her normal tone. 'I suspect his scar is hurting again, isn't that why he usually makes fake excuses for the bathroom?'

'Well pardon me, miss know-it-all,' Ron said standing, but Hermione's arm caught him forearm.

'No,' she said firmly. 'Give him a minute.'

After waiting a good thirty seconds he wrenched his arm away from Hermione's tight vice like grip and walked determinedly to the bathroom in search of Harry. Behind him he heard Kreacher ask Hermione, 'treacle tart?' with a very forced voice.

Ron walked down the corridor and tapped on the bathroom door after trying the door and finding it locked. Inside he heard a quiet yelp and then a much louder scream of, 'NO!'

'Harry? HARRY!' he yelled, slamming on the door harder.

Hermione was behind him rapping her knuckles against the door with the same urgency as Ron was shouting. Suddenly the bolts were being drawn back and Harry opened the door. He looked as white as a sheet as he stood in the door way.

'You ok?' Ron asked, feeling for his wand as it made him feel about ten times safer. 'You were screaming your head off.'

'Was your scar hurting?' Hermione asked peering forward into Harry's face. 'Did you see something?'

'Give him a minute, Hermione,' Ron said to her, offering her own advice to her. Harry was still standing at the door, blankly staring at them his face still paler than a ghost's. Ron stepped forward and Harry's eyes seemed to adjust as Ron pulled him into a hug.

'Shh,' Ron said into his ear even though Harry wasn't making any noise. Ron knew from previous experience that Harry found the noise soothing. 'Shh, shh …' he repeated.

'Harry,' Hermione said in earnest. 'You aren't supposed to let this happen! You were supposed to learn Occlumency, so you this type of thing would no longer happen! Dumbledore wanted you to learn so that Voldemort couldn't use the connection! How can it help, use Occlumency!'

'It does help; I know what he's doing!' Harry said, pushing out of Ron's arms.

'So you aren't even going to try and shut him out?'

'You know I'm lousy at Occlumency, Hermione!'

'You never really tried,' she said to him. 'It's almost like you like it or something …' her voice wavered off when she realized what she had just said.

Ron sighed, irritated by Hermione's brash and harsh nature today, she was saying things that weren't really true and was hurting feelings in the process. Ron decided that perhaps it was just that time of month.

'Like it?' Harry asked quietly. 'Would _you?_'

'No, I – Harry, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it.'

'I hate the fact that he can get inside of me, that I have to be there watching him when he's most dangerous. But I'm going to use it,' Harry said.

'Dumbledore -'

'Forget about Dumbledore! This is my choice, no one else's. I want to know why he's after Gregorovitch.'

'Who?' Hermione asked.

'He's a foreign wand maker,' said Harry. 'Krum reckons he's brilliant. I think Voldemort wants Gregorovitch for the same reasons he captured Ollivander.'

'Hang on,' Ron said. 'I thought you said Voldemort killed Ollivander?'

'Had another vision,' Harry muttered. 'Didn't tell you, sorry.'

'But if he's already got one wand maker, why does he need another?' Hermione asked.

'Ollivander probably couldn't tell him what had happened between our wands,' Harry said. 'So he wanted Gregorovitch to explain.'

'Harry, you keep talking about what your wand did,' Hermione said sounding snappish again. 'Why can't you just admit that it was your own power that did it, you did it!'

'I didn't do it!' Harry said raising his voice monumentally. 'Voldemort didn't do it, and I didn't do it. We both know what happened, but we don't know how!'

Ron saw both of them staring lividly at each other, Ron gulped not wanting to get involved in the impending argument as he had already had one with Hermione and could not cope if one with Harry was sparked up as well. So he intervened.

'Drop it,' he said to Hermione though not looking at her. 'It's up to him, I've had enough bickering, and I'm going to bed.'

It was hours before Ron heard Harry come into the room they shared. Without hesitation Harry sat down on the edge of the bed and relayed the plan he and Hermione and carefully thought out those past few hours. Ron nodded and recalled most of it when Harry asked him too. When Harry was sure Ron knew the plan that involved puking pastilles, the blue robes of maintenance and Polyjuice potion.

'Polyjuice potion?' he asked with a groan. 'I've had enough of that, thanks.'

'I know,' Harry muttered lying next to them fully dressed. 'But just this once more, please?'

'It's the plan,' Ron said. 'Hermione's on her last nerve, huh?'

'I think we all are, everyone's getting really irritated from being cooped up in this place,' Harry said letting himself shudder. 'Remember what Sirius did?'

Ron nodded; of course he remembered what Sirius did. How could he have possibly forgotten? 'But that wasn't just because of this place, remember?' he said.

'Yeah, but I don't want anyone to go stir crazy or anything. And I want the locket now.'

'I can't believe Dung gave it to Umbridge!' Ron said, resting his head on the same pillow as Harry.

'He didn't know,' Harry reminded him.

'That doesn't make him any less of a prat.'

Harry laughed and moved closer to Ron, wrapping his arms around his waist and resting his head on his chest. 'Scared?' he asked presently.

'Merlin, yes!' Ron said to him, he wasn't afraid of admitting that to Harry. 'Hermione's right, heaps of things could go wrong and it's based hugely on chance.'

'Don't screw up then,' Harry told him with no hint of a smile.

'I'll try not too.'

Harry was running his hands through his hair; Ron closed his eyes surrendering himself to the soft and soothing petting. 'Your hair is getting long,' Harry commented as he curled a strand around his finger.

'Think I should cut it?' he asked. 'Not Magically, I don't trust a pair of Magical scissors near my head. And I'm not letting a pissy Hermione near my head either!'

'I could do it, but I wouldn't want to, it's nice,' Harry said kissing the top of Ron's head. 'How come it always smells so nice?'

'It's a … um, a little charm I use on my hair when I wash it,' Ron said blushing deeply.

Harry laughed. 'That's adorable.'

'It's a manly charm too,' Ron said smiling.

'Really?'

'No.'

Harry laughed again and pressed his lips against his, capturing any words he was about to say. 'Love you,' Harry said softly when the light kiss broke.

'So do I,' he said. 'Love you, I mean.'

'I know what you mean,' Harry said grinning. 'The Ministry tomorrow,' he added with a yawn. 'Do you know the plan?'

'Yes, Harry, I know the plan.'

'Good, you better know the plan.'

Ron caught the corner of his mouth with a soft kiss, before finding the center of his lips and prying his lips open, eliciting a moan from Harry that seemed to echo around his mouth and mind.

'Don't you have a feeling that after today things will get a lot more difficult and dangerous?'

'Let's make the most of now then,' Ron said, smirking softly and pinned Harry underneath him, kissing his neck and on the sensitive area of his jawbone.

'Sounds good,' Harry said his hands still in Ron's hair.

* * *

With a look of pure disgust on his face, Ron stirred the hair of Reg Cattermole into the potion. He knew he had to do this, it was important that all three of them have a chance of getting at the locket. Nodding towards Harry and Hermione he pinched his nose and drained the glass, hic-cupping when he had finished the entire potion.

'Ew,' he commented. In an instant he felt himself changing into the small and ferret like Wizard. He donned the navy blue robes. 'What do you think?' he asked them. 'Cattermole-y enough?'

Harry nodded and Hermione smiled wirily.

Ron then had to trot of with Hermione to find someone for Harry to transform into. It was weird being Cattermole, though not as weird as being Harry. The Wizard was short and stout and his legs were no where as long as Ron's were. So while getting used to them he tried a short kind of hobble but then settled for a medium sized step and a jig type hop whenever he got a few paces behind Hermione.

They found a tall – tall was an under statement, hugely massive fit the bill more - black Wizard and Hermione offered him a Nougat Nosebleed. The man took it quite happily and within seconds he had gone home with his nose bleeding uncontrollably.

'Good old Fred 'n George,' Ron said happily in Cattermole's squeaky voice as they walked, or hoped erratically back to where Harry was hiding under the cloak.

'Here,' Hermione said thrusting the curly black hairs at him. 'We don't know who he is, but he's gone home with a horrid nosebleed. He's tall so you'll need bigger robes.'

'He's not tall, he's massive,' Ron said truthfully.

Harry took the potion with the added hair and in seconds was over six feet tall. Ron who was the tiny Cattermole looked up with horror, feeling like a bug that could be squashed with such ease. 'Blimey,' he squeaked.

'Come on!' Hermione said leading the way to the bathrooms where the normal Ministry workers had to be flushed down the loo to get in. 'Well,' Hermione said stopping outside the door of the ladies'. 'See you in there.'

Ron nodded and Harry must have smiled, because Hermione smiled back broadly and it seemed that yesterday's quarrel's had been forgotten. After Hermione walked into the ladies, Ron and Harry joined a large mess of oddly dressed men entering the men's toilets, and a man called out to Ron calling him 'Reg.'

'Morning, Reg!' the Wizard was wearing navy blue clothing like he was. Ron nearly jumped out his skin when he realized someone was talking to him thinking he was Cattermole. 'Bloomin' pain isn't it? Having to get to work this way. Who are they expecting, Harry Potter?'

Ron forced himself to keep moving as he inserted the golden token into the slot, he let out a jittery laugh. 'Yeah, stupid isn't it?'

He and Harry let themselves into adjoining cubicles. To their left and right came the sounds of flushing.

'We have to flush ourselves in?' Harry asked Ron and he nodded, surprised at how deep and gravely the voice of who ever Harry was sounded.

'I think so,' Ron said looking at the toilet before him. 'Oh Merlin, this is weird.' But none the less he clambered into the bowl and he knew at once he had done it right as the water around his feet was not seeping through his shoes at all. He reached up, being short little Cattermole he had to jump out a little to reach it, and pulled the chain feeling the water churning and himself with it. He zoomed down a small chute, remaining dry and the next moment found himself in the Ministry.

'Ok, I just flushed myself down a toilet,' he stuttered. 'Bloody hell, that's disgusting.' He wiped his hands down the front of his robes as if expecting them to be soiled somehow. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Harry, tall and dark, standing to his feet. He shot him a small thumb's up before walking over.

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**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	7. Yaxley's Office

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Seven: Yaxley's Office**

'Cattermole!'

Ron froze when he heard the name being called out, this was too much. They kept on being called for and if this kept up someone was bound to notice how different they were acting. He spun around to face one of the Death Eater's he had seen at the castle the night of Dumbledore's death, Yaxley, he had heard the name and seen the face before.

'Y-yes?' he managed to stutter.

'I've been asking for someone from Magical Maintenance for hours, it's still raining in my office.' Then suddenly the man's eyes narrowed. 'Why aren't you with your wife, Cattermole? I'm about to interrogate her, already given her up as a bad job, eh, Cattermole? Be sure to marry a Pure-blood next time.'

Ron stuttered some more unable to find the right words, even if he found the right words, would be speak them? The Death Eater would surely get offended even by the slightest smile.

'If it was my wife – not that she would ever be accused for being such filth – and the Head of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement needed a job doing, I'd do that job, Cattermole, or your wife's blood status will be in graver doubt than it is now.' The lift door opened and with a swish of his cloak, a nod to Harry and Hermione he walked out, obviously proud of his treatment of Ron.

When the lift doors shut, Ron clasped at his head in panic. 'What am I going to do?' he moaned. 'My wife – I mean Cattermole's wife – she will be - '

'We should come,' Harry said automatically. 'You know, stick together.'

Ron shook his head knowing that this was a bad idea. 'No, that's bloody mental. We haven't got much time. I'll go fix Yaxley's office. Hermione, how do I that?'

'Try _Finite Incantatem,' _she said at once. 'That should stop the raining if it's a hex or curse, if it's something else like the Atmospheric Charm, which will be more difficult to fix, try _Impervius _to protect his belongings.'

Blinking he stared at her, completely unsure of what she had just said. It had all gone in one ear and out the other. He delved into his pockets trying to find a quill and piece of parchment. 'Say it again,' he instructed, 'slowly.'

But at that moment the lift ground to halt, and a female voice echoed around them, 'Level Four, Department for the Control and Regulation of Magical Creatures, Goblin Liaison Office, and Pest Advisory Bureau.' Two people stepped one of them nodding towards Harry and shooting him a board smile. Ron saw that Harry nodded back uncertainly.

'Level Two,' the voice spoke again once the lift had halted, 'Department of Magical Law Enforcement, including the Improper use of Magic Office, Auror Headquarters and Wizengamot Administration Services.'

Ron felt Hermione prod him the back with her elbow and he stepped out of the lift cautiously, nervous and certain he had already forgotten everything she had told about how to stop the rain. The floor he had been deposited on was divided into corridors, one right in front of him, one to his left and another to his right. All corridors where littered with offices, he could see some of the name's on the doors. The corridor in front of him had large lettering above it, which stated: Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Ron started off down there, clutching his wand for comfort. He didn't even bother stopping to look at the names on the doors he passed, knowing that the Head's office would be right down the end. You always had to walk further to reach those higher up the scale then you.

He began nervously hitting his wand against his palm as he neared the end of the corridor. He tried to clam himself by blocking out all other noises, the dull talk issuing from the other offices, the soft padding of his feet on the carpet and the tense beat of his heart. All he could hear was the ringing in his ears, which annoyed him to no end, so he let the other sound flood back. He reached the door and saw the name Yaxley printed in bold gold writing on the smooth wood, and just below that stating his position in the Ministry. He heard the pattering of heavy rain inside the office and couldn't help but smile as the Death Eater surely deserved his belongings to be ruined. He pushed open the door and was greeted by what felt like four buckets of water falling on his head.

Scowling and saturated he stepped further into the room and saw that buckets and buckets of water where slamming down; it wasn't just rain it was more like a typhoon. He was about to use _Impervius _to protect Yaxley's belongings, or Cattermole's wife would surely get it, when he noticed that all the books and parchment in the room had a sheen to them and water seemed to bounce off. Yaxley had already done it himself.

Having no idea where he should point his wand, he thrust it straight up into the air and said, '_Finite Incantatem.' _Nothing happened. He repeated it and this time received more water thrown at his face. He was now soaked, his socks were damp, he was wet right through. Moving over to shelter behind Yaxley's chair, he noted with discomfort that his shoes squelched when he walked. Repeating the counter-jinx once more in a fervent hope that it might work, he stole a chance to look around the desk to see if there was anything worth noting. There was nothing there apart from the standard number of quills and papers. He sighed with irritation and then yelped as a force of water slapped him in the face. Squirming with discomfort as he walked, he headed back to office door; sure there was nothing he could do in this room.

He shut the door behind him and squelched back up the corridor leaving wet foot prints as he went. Embarrassed, he pushed the down button and waited for the lift. Before it came a Witch bustled out of her office and noticed his wet clothes.

'Couldn't stop the rain, huh, Reg?' she asked sadly. 'If I were you I'd want to find a way to stop it right now seeing that Yaxley has your wife down in the courtroom. Go get Bernie Pillsworth he stopped the thunderstorm in my office last week.'

'Thanks,' Ron said turning very red in the face as the Witch walked directly into the office opposite hers.

Finally, the lift arrived. When it came to a rattling halt and the doors sprang open a dark tall man was standing inside. Ron glanced down at his sopping wet clothes and got in the lift.

'M – Morning,' he stammered hoping the man would think his wet appearance was normal for a maintenance worker.

'Ron, it's me, Harry!'

'Harry!' Ron was intensely relieved. 'Bloody hell! I forgot what you looked like,' he paused. 'Why isn't Hermione with you?'

'She had to go down to the courtrooms with Umbridge, she couldn't refuse, and - '

Before Harry had a chance to finish the lift rolled to a stop, and Ron held his breath as they waited to see who could get in. He nearly cried out in joy as his father walked in talking to an old Witch with a mountain of golden hair, but when Harry shot him warning look he remembered he didn't look like himself.

'… I can understand what you're saying, Wakanda, but I'm afraid I can't be party too …' For some reason Arthur broke off and Ron saw that he was staring with flaring hate in his eyes at Harry. The lift doors closed and they set off, his father still staring at who Harry was impersonating with huge dislike.

'Oh, hello, Reg,' he said pleasantly when Ron moved and made a loud squelching noise and water dripped off him. 'Isn't your wife in for questioning today? Ah – what happened to you? Why are you so wet?'

'Yaxley's office is raining,' said Ron not daring to look at his father's face incase he recognized him, though it was very unlikely. 'I couldn't stop it, so they've sent to find Bernie … ah, Pillsworthy, I think they said - '

'Yes, a lot of offices have been raining lately,' Arthur said with what was ever a sorrowful smile or a gleeful smile, it was one he had seen on the twin's a lot. Ron narrowed his eyes at his father and couldn't help but wonder what he had been up to. 'Try _meteolojinx recanto, _it worked for Bletchley.'

Ron repeated the spell in a hushed tone, trying to remember it. 'Thanks, D – I mean, thanks, Arthur.' When he said it sounded completely ridiculous to him, but his father seemed to accept it and nodded leaving the conversation as it was.

The lift doors finally opened at the next floor and Ron left behind the lady with the mountain of hair, not knowing if he could be in the same small space as his father without letting something slip. He turned around to see if Harry had followed him but the lift doors had closed. Ron gulped. He had been so eager to get out of that lift he had forgotten Harry was in there with him again. The only thing for it was to go and fix Yaxley's office in hope that Cattermole's wife might be spared. He ran up the stairs, not bothering to use the lift as he was only a couple of floors down.

Dripping water along the corridor he came to Yaxley's office, and was again greeted by a pool of water falling on his head. He grimaced and held out his wand shouting, '_Meteolojinx recanto,' _and the rain stopped quite suddenly. Without staying to see if it stayed stopped he shut the door and walked back to the lift at a slight jog, eager to catch up to Harry again. When the lift came he was unsure of where to meet him, so he decided to go down to the Atrium.

While he waited a group of people ran passed and he heard shouts of, 'Intruders in the Ministry! The eye is gone; there is a hole in Umbridge's door! Hurry!' Thankfully they did not stop to use the lift but hurtled down the stairs.

He jumped inside grateful he was alone in there and pressed the button for the Atrium but the lift stopped before he reached the entrance hall. Within seconds the lift doors opened and he was amidst a group of people.

He saw the borrowed forms that Harry and Hermione were using and their Patronus's alongside a group of about twenty people, some looking scared and others looking completely relieved.

'Reg!' screamed a voice and in a second he was in the arms of a woman who must Cattermole's wife. 'Runcorn let me out, he attacked Umbridge and Yaxley, and he's told us all to leave the country, I think we'd better do it, Reg, I really do. Let's hurry home and the fetch the children and – why are you so wet?'

'Water,' he muttered, pushing her out of his arms. 'Harry, they know there are intruders in the Ministry, something about an eye and a hole in Umbridge's door. I reckon we've got about five minutes, if that - '

With a loud popping noise Hermione's Patronus vanished. She turned to Harry looking horrified. 'If we're trapped here!'

'We won't be if we move fast,' said Harry and then turned to address the crowd of people gathered.

Amazingly they crammed into two lifts and with Harry's stag Patronus standing guard they rose up, clanging along.

'Are these people the Muggle-borns?' he asked Hermione.

She nodded.

'Level Eight,' said the disembodied voice, 'Atrium.'

Ron nearly squeaked in shock knowing they were in trouble. The Atrium would be full of people moving from fireplace to fireplace, plenty of Ministry workers to trap them. The lift stopped and they all stepped out, or fell because they were packed in so tightly.

'Harry!' Hermione shouted. 'What are we going to do?'

'STOP!' Harry bellowed using Runcorn's deep voice. Ron was amazed when the Wizards and Witches sealing off the fireplaces to prevent their escape stopped, and turned to look at Runcorn. 'Follow me,' he said and the group of terrified Muggle-borns did.

'What's up?' a balding man asked Harry when they approached.

'This lot needs to leave before you seal the exits,' Harry told him his voice sounding threatening.

Ron saw the people standing behind the bald Wizard exchange looks of surprise and shock. 'We've been told to seal the exits and not let anyone out,' a small Witch piped up.

'_Are _you_ contradicting _me_?' _Harry asked furiously. 'Would you like me to have your family tree examined, like I had Dirk Cresswell's?'

'Sorry!' gasped the Wizard and many behind him shrank backwards nervously. 'I thought … I thought they were in for questioning and …'

'Their blood is pure,' said Harry his voice echoing impressively around the hall. 'Purer than many of yours, I dare say. Go!' he boomed to all the Muggle-borns who scurried into the fireplaces and began to vanish in pairs.

'Mary!'

Mrs Cattermole unattached herself from Ron's arm and looked over her shoulder. The real Reg Cattermole, no longer vomiting, had just come out of a lift.

'Merlin ball's!' Ron said as Mrs Cattermole looked from him to her real husband. The balding Wizard gaped, turning his head between Ron and the real Cattermole.

'Hey, what's this?' he shouted.

'Seal the exit! SEAL IT!' Yaxley had hurtled out of a lift, screaming his head of and running towards the fireplaces. Thankfully all the Muggle-borns had vanished bar Mrs Cattermole who was still twisting her head from Ron and Reg.

The balding Wizard raised his wand but Harry was too quick for him and punched him in the nose, sending him soaring through the air. 'He's been helping the Muggle-borns escape, Yaxley!'

The colleagues of the Wizard set up an uproar, Ron used the loud noise and grabbed Mrs Cattermole around the middle and dived for the fireplace where he vanished.

'What's going on?!' she shrieked after they had shot up out of the toilet. 'I don't understand! Where's Reg! Are you my Reg?'

'I'm not your husband!' Ron yelled at her, trying to struggle away.

'What have they done to you, Reg?' she asked in a saddened voice.

'I am not your husband! Listen to me!' Ron screamed at her still twisting and turning trying to get out of her grip. 'You need to go home! You have to go home! They'll be after your children next!' He finally wrenched away and she was left panting and looking terrified.

Suddenly Harry and Hermione burst into the room, flying out of the toilets. There was a noise behind them and Yaxley appeared firing curses at them that bounced off the walls. Mrs Cattermole fled the bathroom, allowing Ron not to have to worry about her any longer.

'LET'S GO!' Harry bellowed. Ron felt him seize his arm and saw his hand in Hermione's and turned on the spot.

Darkness surrounded them and there was a suffocating sensation of compression. He felt like he was losing air and fast, abruptly he saw the door of number twelve Grimmauld Place with its serpentine knocker. Ron screamed as he felt a terrible ripping feeling just below his arm and pain flooded him.

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**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	8. Let Go

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Eight: Let Go**

A terrible pain in his left arm woke him; it was a sharp thudding pain that seemed to slam into his arm whenever he moved in the slightest. His eyes fluttered open as he heard soft voices talking around him, getting louder and louder as he came too fully.

'How do you feel?' he heard Hermione ask him or at least he hoped it was her asking.

As the two figures before him slanted into view he saw it was most definitely Hermione and a very pale exhausted looking Harry.

'Rotten,' he croaked horrified at how much he sounded like Kreacher before the dual personality took over. 'Where are we?' he asked looking around, but all he could see was glistening trees sprinkling a gold-green light over them. He tried to sit up from where he lay on the broken bracken and dead leaves but his arm recoiled painfully.

'Don't,' Harry insisted sinking to his knees beside him.

'In the woods where they held the Quidditch World Cup,' Hermione said still standing but looking down at Ron with guilt. 'It was the first place I thought of that was enclosed and undercover.'

'Don't you think we should move on?' Ron asked swiveling his attention from Hermione to Harry. He wanted to move on, he remembered what had happened the last time they had Apparated here, the night of the Quidditch World Cup.

'I dunno,' Harry said softly moving down to wipe a stray strand of hair away from Ron's sweaty forehead.

Ron shuddered after Harry's hand left his forehead. He still felt cold and clammy and completely unable to move but he hardly felt safe here. Sitting up he found he was still too weak to do so and Harry demanded that he lie back down.

'Let's stay here for now,' Harry said after a fleeting glance down at Ron.

'Where are we going?' Ron asked, he had only caught the last part of the sentence Harry had muttered.

'No where,' Harry said as Hermione began jumping about the place setting up protective charms and the occasional jinx if someone got too close.

She was walking in a wide circle around him and Harry still muttering spells to her own self and then repeating them with a wave of her wand. Suddenly she turned to Harry.

'Could you get the tent out of the bag?' she asked.

'You brought a tent?' Ron asked surprised and tried to sit up again but Harry's hand was on his chest forcing him back down.

'Yes, could you get it out, Harry?' Hermione asked after another wave of her wand.

Harry remained beside Ron and didn't get up to rummage around in the bag but instead cast a summoning spell and the tent zoomed out. Ron immediately recognized the tent. It was the one they had slept in the night of the world cup. He recognized it partly for that reason and partly because it stank like cat.

'I thought this belonged to that Perkins bloke,' Harry muttered as he pulled apart the tent pegs that had become a hopeless mess.

'He didn't want it, his lumbago's really bad and Ron's dad said I could burrow it. _Erecto!' _Hermione pointed her wand at misshapen tent and it sprang up and settled on the forest floor fully constructed in one fluid moment.

'That's the least I can do,' Hermione said uttering one last spell with a skyward flourish. 'At the very least we should know when's he coming, I doubt if it would keep out Vol - '

'Don't say the name!' Ron spluttered out harshly surprised with himself for not wanting to here it.

'I thought you were all right with the name now,' Harry said peering at him curiously.

'Yeah, but not anymore.' He moaned as he raised himself to look him, Harry was too startled to push him back on the ground. 'I'm sorry; it just sounds like a jinx or something. Can we just call him You-Know-Who?'

'Dumbledore said fear of the name -' Harry began but Ron cut across him again.

'It didn't do very well for Dumbledore did it?' Ron asked harshly, irritated from the pain. 'Can't we just give You-Know-Who a little respect?' he asked looking away from both of them. He knew he'd struck a cord completely by accident when Harry stiffened beside him. He hadn't meant for it to come out that way, it just had.

'_Respect?' _Harry asked his tone infuriated. But before he could say another word Hermione's hand was on his shoulder, he turned around and she shot him a warning look.

Harry and Hermione half carried and half dragged him to the tent, and through much pain on his part got him up on the small bed. Even through his small journey Ron had felt pain surge about his arm again and he felt faint and dizzy, apparently he had lost a lot of blood.

Harry sat down on the edge of his bed after he and Hermione had managed to get him up there. 'Are you ok?' he asked.

'I'll make some tea!' Hermione said bustling off and giving Ron and Harry some of the space they needed.

'Sore and I feel sleepy,' Ron admitted.

'Merlin,' Harry said in awe. 'I thought splinching was a little funny but that wasn't, not even.'

Carefully Harry leant down over Ron, his face directly over his. Ron smiled up at him and saw his smile reflected in the lenses of Harry's glasses. Being as cautious as before, Harry pressed his lips against his, adding pressure little by little until Ron was forced to let his mouth open a slither. He kissed Harry hungrily until Hermione brought back the tea and sat down on the arm chair beside his bed. Harry straightened up and remained where he was.

'So, have you got it?' Harry asked Hermione and Ron saw with great joy that Harry was unable to hide the red flush that had settled across his cheeks.

'Got what?' Hermione asked handing them both a cup. Ron took the hot tea and used to warm his freezing cold hands up.

'The locket!' Harry said. 'Have you got it?'

'Oh,' Hermione said her mouth forming the letter. 'Yes, hang on.' She put her cup down and delved into the pockets of her cloak and then finally drew out the real locket. It was large, as big as an egg. A decorative 'S', inlaid with many small emeralds glinted dully across the canvas.

'You got it!' Ron asked ecstatically forgetting his pain and moving high up the pillows so he was sitting bolt upright. 'Bloody hell, why does no one tell me these things!?'

'We were running away from Death Eaters, Ron,' Hermione said in her business like tone. 'We could hardly stop and talk.' She passed Ron the locket.

Ron took it and nearly dropped in fright. The instant he took it he could feel a slowly pulsating beat like it wasn't just a hunk of metal. The beating was in rhythm like a heart beat and it almost like it was living. He quickly passed it on to Harry.

'Can you feel it?' he asked after Harry had been holding it for several seconds.

Harry shook his head and was about to pass it back to Hermione when he let out an understanding noise and clamped his hand around the locket.

'What are we going to do with it?' Hermione asked not at all interested in what both boys could feel from the locket.

'Kept it,' Harry said instantly, 'until we know how to destroy it.' And then he put the locket around his neck where Ron knew it would stay. 'I think we should take it turns to take watch,' he added to Hermione and Ron scowled when he tried to move and Harry quickly pushed him back down. 'You stay there.'

Ron wanted to keep watch because he could just sit there, watching; like you did in a watch. He wouldn't get the impulse like Harry definitely would to go and wonder around because he was in pain and unlike Hermione he wouldn't fret.

'I want to,' he insisted.

'No!' Harry said strongly and then added in a softer and more caring tone, 'no, it's ok. We've got this.' He gestured towards Hermione.

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Over the next few days Ron got steadily more irritated and angry as time wore on. Every slightest thing made him annoyed the fact that he couldn't do anything because his arm was in a sling, the fact that there was no good food and with no decent food he wasn't prepared to help cook it. And the fact that Harry was beginning to brood was annoying Ron to no end. Whenever he spoke to Hermione it turned into a shouting match and for some reason Harry simply wasn't in the mood for talking to him. 

Another thing putting a damper on his mood was the fact that they now had to divvy out the time each of them spent wearing the Horcrux. Wearing that thing frightened him; it seemed to get in his head like it knew he was the weaker and most impatient of the three. It brought out the worst in him and when he took it off the mood remained and when it began to vanish he was handed the Horcrux again.

The most exciting thing that happened to them over several days was when they heard Dean, Ted Tonks and two Goblins in their clearing because they were running away from the Ministry being either Muggle-born or a Magical creature. Of course the four had absolutely no idea that he, Harry and Hermione where all listening in on their conversation. They had said that Ginny, Neville and Luna had broken into Snape's office to get the sword of Godric Gryffindor out. Ron had frozen when he'd heard this and become terrified for the safety of those three, mainly his sister.

Then Hermione had whipped out the painting of Phineas Nigellus and talked to him about what to Rom seemed a little irrelevant. And after that the pair promptly forgot him and began talking in hurried nervous voices about where the real sword was and if it could destroy Horcruxes. While they talked, Ron grumbled to himself, crossed his arms and left the circle, he was unsurprised when they failed to notice he had left.

Bloody Harry had been too busy talking to Hermione or brooding to even notice Ron and Ron had been too irritated and pissed off to talk to him when Harry wanted to talk. It was a strange cycle. He was sick of it.

'Yeah, you're right!' Harry said suddenly, snapping Ron out of his thoughts. Ron looked up, hoping he was speaking to him and then proceeded back into his gloomy thoughts when he saw he was just speaking to Hermione. 'So, he would have hidden the sword well away from Hogsmeade, do you reckon, Ron? Ron?'

'Oh, remembered me have you?' Ron asked from the shadows of his bunk a scowl firm on his face.

'What?'

Ron ignored Harry's question and twisted on the bed so he was facing away from the _pair. _'Don't let me spoil your fun, you two carry on.'

Ron heard them exchanging soft words but he couldn't hear what they were speaking about, not that he cared.

'What's the problem?' Harry asked.

'Problem?' Ron asked as soft thuds on the canvas signaled the arrival of rain. 'Problem? There is no problem. Not according to you anyway.'

'You've obviously got a problem,' Harry said. 'Spit it out will you?'

Ron turned over and swung his legs over the side of the bed, standing up his eyes flashing between Harry and Hermione. 'All right, I'll spit it out. Do you honestly expect me to skip up and down the tent just because we've got something to find. That we know something and then find out there's a whole lot of other things we don't know. Just add it to the list of stuff you don't know.'

'I don't know, _I_ don't know?' Harry asked sounding incredulous and angered.

The rain was beginning to fail harder and droplets where leaving dark marks on the surface of the tent. Ron looked up and then back down to Harry. 'It's not like I'm having the time of my life here, you know with my mangled arm and hardly anything to bloody eat. I just hoped, you know, that after two weeks we would have achieved something.'

He heard Hermione utter his name as if she was telling him to stop but the cry was so small he could easily pretend not to here it over the pattern of beating rain.

'I thought you knew what you signed up for,' Harry said quietly.

The tone of his voice was so quiet and he sounded hurt. Ron wanted to whirl around and apologize in an instant but he couldn't he'd come this far and he was bloody sick of this. 'Yeah, I thought I knew too.'

'So, what part of it isn't living up to your expectations?' Harry asked the pain in his voice now gone and replaced by anger. 'Did you think we'd be staying in five-star hotels pampering each other? Finding a Horcruxe every day? Did you think you'd be back to Mummy by Christmas?'

'We thought you knew what you were doing!' Ron shouted loudly glaring at Harry as if he hoped his eyes would pierce him. 'We thought Dumbledore might have at least told you what to do! We thought you had a plan!'

Hermione yelled his name audibly this time but Ron ignored her.

'Well sorry to let you down,' Harry hissed at him. 'I've been straight with you from the start, told you everything I knew. And in case you haven't noticed we've found on Horcrux!'

'And we are about as far away from destroying it as we are finding more – no fucking way near!'

'Ron, take the Horcrux off!' Hermione said standing up and holding her hand out. 'You wouldn't be talking like this if you hadn't been wearing it all day!'

'Yes, he would!' Harry spat at her. 'Do you think I haven't noticed the two of you whispering behind my back? Do you think I don't know what you've been talking about?!'

'Harry, we weren't -' Hermione began.

'Don't lie to her!' Ron snapped. 'I haven't been speaking to either of you for the last couple of days! You've been so wrapped up in each other I haven't had the time to speak to either you!'

'Oh, Ron,' Hermione said softly. 'Is this what this is about?'

'No!' Ron lied.

The rain pattered down in the stony silence that had engulfed them. Ron was panting after yelling so much and his arm was hurting softly. Harry's face looked dead so he couldn't read it and Hermione looked shocked, disappointed and sad.

'Why are you still here?' Harry asked after some time.

'Beats me,' Ron said looking anywhere but Harry.

'Go home then,' Harry said.

'Yeah, maybe I will! Yeah, better then sitting around here waiting to rot while you two gutless wonders try and think of a plan. Didn't you hear what they said about my sister, or Neville or Luna? Of course you didn't! You're so wrapped up in yourself. Harry I've-faced-worse-Potter doesn't give a rats ass!'

'They were with Hagrid, they wouldn't have been -'

'– yeah, I get it! You don't care about me or anyone. Didn't you hear what Ted said? The Weasley's don't need another child injured? Too late now isn't it?!'

'Yeah, I -'

'Hardly even bothered by it though!' Ron snapped knowing he was letting his anger spiral out of control but not caring.

'Ron!' Hermione had forced her way in between them. 'I'm sure all he meant was that nothing new has happened. Ron, Bill's already scarred, people must have noticed George is missing an ear by now, and you're supposed to be on your death bed dying of Spattergoit! I'm sure that's all he meant.'

'Sure are you? Fine, I won't bother myself with them. It's all right with for you two, parents safely out of the way!'

'My parents are dead!' Harry bellowed.

'And mine could be going the same way!' Ron yelled at the same volume.

'Then GO!' Harry shouted. 'Go back to them and pretend you've gotten over your Spattergoit! Mummy'll feed you up and you needn't bother about us!'

'Fine!' Ron spat his hand was on his wand but he still had a once of sense in him and he knew he didn't want to hurt Harry in the slightest, so he let his hand fall. 'I'm going!'

'Leave the Horcrux,' Harry insisted.

Ron wrenched it over his head and threw it on the floor, storming out of the tent he didn't look back until he heard Hermione following him. He speed up, crunching over the dead leaves stamping like a scorned child. He couldn't stop the tears streaming down his face that mingled with the rain.

'You didn't mean it!' Hermione yelled as she caught up to his cloak pulling him back. 'You didn't mean it!'

'I meant it!' Ron replied his tear filled eyes staring straight back into hers. 'I don't care! I'm not wanted, I get it.' He started to walk forward again trying to pull himself from Hermione's grip, but she held on tightly.

'You are wanted, Ron!'

'Don't lie,' he snapped. 'I'm not needed, I know that! Neither of you need me! I've seen that, over the last couple of weeks you've hardly spoken to me!I get it, ok! YOU DON'T NEED ME, neither of you do!'

'Ron, stop it!' Hermione begged. 'You are wanted and needed, ok? It's the Horcrux that's making you act like this!'

'No it isn't!' He showed her his neck and the absence of the Horcrux. 'I'm not wearing it now, am I? I'm not dimwitted enough to fail to see when I'm not wanted!' He tried to pull away again but apparently she had more to add.

'Just come apologize to him, Ron!'

'He's quite content with you!' he said angrily. 'Let me go, 'Mione!'

'Ron, he loves you! We both do!'

'I don't care. I'm going, it's what you want, right?' he asked and then pulled so strongly out of her grip that she nearly fell over. As soon as she wasn't holding on to him anymore he Apparated out of the clearing and to the first place he could think of. Bill and Fleur's.

He didn't want to return home and face the wrath and 'I told you so's' of his mother and the mocking stares from the rest of the clan who'd be there over Christmas. He wanted peace and quiet, which he hoped could be found at his brother's.

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**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	9. The Deluminator

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Nine: The Deluminator**

Ron appeared near where he knew Bill and Fleur were living. The sound of waves crashing against rocks and squawking voices greeted his arrival. He was face to face with a gang of people, all of which smelt bad and where smiling at him like they had just won the Wizarding lotto. Ron backed up, panic beginning to pound in chest, he looked around for Shell Cottage where the couple lived, but all he could see was a grassy hill top and the people edging closer to him.

'He looks like a school kid!' one yelped in excitement his wand pointing at Ron's forehead. 'Maybe he's in hiding!'

Ron suddenly whipped out his wand and held it up at the people advancing on him, they all laughed at him and a muscled one who smelt the worst let out a grunting giggle.

'_Expelliamrus_!' a dark skinned man yelled from the back of the small group and Ron's wand flew out of his hand.

'The little kiddy thinks he can do Magic!' the small gangly one who had spoken first said. 'Come on, kid, tell us your name and who you took the wand from.'

'Yeah!' the other two echoed. The gangly one must be the ring leader of the gang.

'Uh,' Ron stuttered searching for a name that wasn't his own, but Harry Potter was all that jumped into his head. 'Uh,' he said again and then he found one, 'Stan Shunpike! I'm Stan Shunpike.'

'Are you really?' one asked him after the group had stepped back a bit, they had definitely heard about Stan's involvement - or so called involvement - with Death Eaters.

'Sorry Mr Shunpike,' the large one grunted holding up his arms in apology, stench radiated from his armpits.

'Are you really?' the gangly leader repeated.

'He is Stan Shunpike! Didn't he just say?'

'What if he's lying?' the dark skinned man asked tapping Ron's wand on the palm of his hand. 'Why don't we just Oblivate him and take him anyway! That way we'll get the reward the Ministry is offering.'

'Don't be stupid!' the ringleader shouted. 'Stan Shunpike is working for You-Know-Who ain't he? If he take him to the Ministry won't You-Know-Who come after him?'

'I dunno!' the stinky one shouted. 'Are you Stan Shunpike?' he asked Ron again.

Ron nodded hurriedly, hoping that they were as stupid as they sounded and would think he was Stan.

'He says he's Stan Shunpike!' the stinky one who looked a little like a troll shouted again.

'Shut up!' the dark skinned one and the leader shouted. 'We already know that!'

'Now,' the leader said. 'If he's Stan Shunpike, we ain't taking him to the Ministry! We'll just leave him be and hope that You-Know-Who does the same for us!'

Ron snorted. That was a wild, wild dream. He looked at the three people again and thought about making a break for it as they where all caught up in their argument. But they had his wand; he couldn't leave without his wand. If what Harry said was true and Gregorovitch and Ollivander there was no way he could get another wand if he left this one behind. Left to his own thoughts he had failed to notice the argument had got steadily more and more heated.

Suddenly the dark one punched the ring leader in the face causing him to stagger back a few steps wiping the blood that streamed down from his nose.

'Did you just hit me?' he asked shocked.

'I think so,' the dark skinned one said and nodded, hands on his hips as if testing the leader to see if he'd hit him back.

The leader suddenly charged at him, knocking him to the ground and sending both his wand and Ron's flying from his hand. Ron dived to the ground desperate to get to his wand and make a break for it. He was amazed that no one noticed as his hand clasped tightly around his wand and the other wand lying next to it. Ron thought it might be handy to have a back up, his had a tendency to break. The leader and the dark one were rolling around on the floor exchanging blows and punches, the dark skinned man looked to be winning, and the troll like man was watching and applauding when one of his comrades struck the other. Taking his chance, Ron scrambled to his feet and sprinted off down the hillside disappearing at the bottom with a loud crack.

He knew in an instant he had Apparated wrongly, because there was a tearing pain in his fingers and when he landed he was not where he wanted to end up. He found himself in a clump of forest, trees blackened the light. Instead of standing and walking on he sank to the ground the wands still tightly in his hands. As he tightened his fingers around his wand and cast _Lumos_, he felt the pain in his finger tips and held them under the wand light. He let out a low moan as he saw two finger nails completely missing from his left hand.

'Again?' he asked himself, 'I splinched myself, _again?' _He groaned from the fading pain in his fingers. 'Maybe I am useless.'

He stood up finally and wandering through the tight cluster of trees holding his wand about before him and stuffing the other into the loop of his belt. He strained his ears to see if he could hear the sounds of a river or any water at all, he heard nothing but the echo of his own footsteps. Sighing downheartedly he kicked a clump of dead leaves and continued to walk in hopes of coming across the river where they had been camped just moments before. There was something strange about thinking 'where they had been camped,' since it certainly wasn't a 'they' anymore. It was just Harry and Hermione know, unless he caught up to them and apologized before they moved camp.

After what seemed like hours - only it couldn't have been hours because the sun hadn't slid beneath the hills yet - of trekking through the rain sodden trees he found the site where they had camped just that day. He ran towards the river hoping to see the tent hidden behind a tree or just hidden, but he found nothing. He even walked around with his arms stuck out in front of him trying to feel the canvas walls but still he found nothing, not a trace or even a small reminder that three people had camped there. The river bank was completely deserted.

Grimly he stuck his hands in his pockets and walked with a drooping head to the river and stared as the rain fell into it making soft splashing noises. Harry had left, he was well and truly gone. He could never find him again not unless Harry came to him. Ron had lost Hermione as well, she was gone too. Gone, they were both gone. And he didn't know where so he could not follow. Dimly Ron wondered if they'd ever speak to each other again. Shrugging his shoulders as if to display to anyone watching - even the forest - that he didn't care. They'd run off giving him no time to come back, it was true. They didn't need him. Blowing the damp strands of hair from his forehead he decided to return to Bill and Fleur's house. He took his time Disapparating this time as he'd rather not splinch himself for a third time.

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He was sitting on the spare bed in Shell Cottage having made it safely. The spare room was small and everything was definitely spare. The twins wanted Bill to call it the Auxiliary Room when he had first moved in, but Fleur had refused to tape a sign on the door that said Auxiliary Room yet it was still referred to as that. It wasn't lavishly decorated in any sense; all it housed was a spare bed, spare closet, spare carpet, and a spare chair. Ron fitted in well with it, he was a spare too.

Straining his ears and wishing he had taken some Extendable Ears when he left he heard Bill and Fleur talking in rushed voices, Fleur adding some French occasional – words that Bill presumably knew. Ron had told them everything from the newly found Horcrux to the fight he had had with the others. While they chatted away and enjoyed a deliciously smelling dinner which Ron usually would have died to eat, he sat on his spare bed and thought.

The trio was now a duo, plus a random singular dancing around the edge unsure whether he could rejoin the duo or if he should leave be. He thought about how completely useless and weak he was. He thought about how he'd snapped at Harry and Hermione like that, proving something that Harry feared. And he thought about how Harry spent more time with Hermione then him. He wondered why he had left if he'd wanted to stop that. He scowled and picked at the sleeve of his robe wanting to dismantle and stitch it back up, just so he'd have something to do. He lay back on the bed and let the smell of food wash over him, he didn't want any, he wasn't hungry and he was too dejected to eat. His stomach growled telling him otherwise yet he ignored thinking that if Harry and Hermione weren't having anything decent to eat, why should he? It was stupid to think now that food had incorporated itself into their argument.

Suddenly he sat bolt upright as a new thought flooded him. Those three people who had trapped him as he left the duo were a group of Snatchers. Bill had explained to him when he heard Ron's story. Snatchers were people who roamed around looking for Muggle-borns in hiding to capture and take to the Ministry for a reward. He was glad he hadn't used his name at all since people knew he was friends with Harry, '_was'_ being the optimum word, and he'd probably get taken in for questioning, or worse. But these Snatchers probably had Hermione's name high up on their list and they would be looking for her, and if they found her, they'd find Harry. Ron had a huge urge to find the twosome and tell them what he'd learnt but there was no way he could do that as he had no clue where they were. He grimaced and glanced at the Daily Prophet that was masked by the Quibbler lying next to it and heaved a sigh of relief. Any news on the two would be broadcasted immediately, the words would usually be extremely twisted as Bill and Fleur had told him and the only real way to find out was to use the radio.

There was a broadcasting channel on the radio run by wizard's who wanted honest to Merlin updates on the situation of Harry Potter and friend – as it was now. It was to let people know how the inevitable war was going, truthfully and for Muggle-borns escaping the clutches of the Ministry to learn where not to go and where to go. Ron thought it was brilliant.

He yawned and lay back down against the pillows, his hand bunching the sheets in space next to him. If Harry was here he'd be lying right next to him. That thought nearly broke Ron into a flood of tears but he managed to keep hold of himself. He wanted to go back to them, but he could find them.

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It was early Christmas morning and Ron couldn't sleep. He was sitting up in his bed with the radio buzzing next to him and he was listening absently, not really catching on to anything said. It was Christmas and wanted to hear someone telling him Harry and Hermione were ok, not that anyone knew. The two were keeping themselves extremely well hidden.

It had been ages since he'd left them or they'd left him, he didn't know what way to look at it now. It didn't matter however; it had simply been ages since they parted. Or it had felt like ages, in reality it had only been a six or even less days. It felt longer.

Bill and Fleur had been fairly good company but since they were so wrapped up in each other it made Ron long for Harry and then flung him straight back into his depression again. He hadn't been able to see many of his family over the days he'd been staying here, too many Weasley's going to one place might draw the impression that Ron had perhaps returned to good health. Or so said Fleur, the reason seemed plausible to everyone but him. He just wanted to see some of his family, in particular the twins. Ron felt as if he was in need for a good laugh or some light heartedly comedic antics.

Unexpectedly a voice that didn't belong to the radio flushed through the room. It belonged to Harry and his disembodied voice said, 'Ron.' And paused before saying, 'my wand, please, my wand.'

Ron jolted to his feet and stared around the spare room, finding nothing to show that Harry was there or someone was playing a really nasty joke on him. He ran to the window and peered down at the garden outside, but there was nothing. Then suddenly he heard Harry's voice again, this time it was coming from the Deluminator sitting on his bed. He ran to it and picked it up, holding it close to his ear to listen to anything else Harry had to say. There was silence coming from the object, yet Ron was sure he'd heard Harry speak. He pulled the Deluminator away from his ear and studied it curiously.

Was he imagining things?

Had Harry's voice really come out of the object that was now pressing into his hand?

Was he really so pathetic and needy that he imagined Harry's voice?

Had he really imagined something that sounded completely identical to Harry?

He couldn't have imagined it, he was sure of it. He cautiously clicked the Deluminator and as customary the light in his room went out but he doubled over and ducked down low as another one appeared in the garden. He crawled along the floor towards the window that looked over the backyard; slowly he peered over the sill and stared out. There was every possibility that it was Death Eaters who had come to take Bill and Fleur in for questioning on the where about of Harry after all there useless attempts at finding him.

In the center of the garden a bluish ball of light floated pulsating like a Portkey. Ron stood up and leaned out the window to get a better look. It almost looked alien like floating there illuminating the flowers and grass around in a blue hue. The Deluminator in his hand grew hot and Ron looked down at it hastily. Had it created this ball of energy? Ron feared that if he clicked the Deluminator again to see if the alien like light vanished that he wouldn't be able to bring it back again.

Spinning around wildly Ron picked up his stuff and he casting a quick packing spell so everything zoomed into the bag that lay open beside his bed. He quickly picked it up and ran down the stairs with the burning gift in his hand.

Leaving a quickly scribbled note for Bill on the fridge Ron stepped outside into the cold morning air. The old un-melted snow under his feet crunched as he walked across to where the ball of light bobbed. Suddenly it began moving forward and Ron was giving the instinct impression that he was supposed to follow it so he did just that. After following the light as it skimmed along the tops of the flowers for a few meters, Ron was surprised when it abruptly stopped moving and flew up so it was equal to the height of his chest. It flew towards him and Ron had no desire to run away, he just stood transfixed to the spot. It flew inside him and Ron felt a hot burning sensation as it passed by his heart which had begun to pound rapidly in his chest. His breathe caught in his throat as the warmth subsided and he knew that this thing would take him to where Harry and Hermione were.

Feeling confident and sure of the blue light the Deluminator had conjured and himself, he Disapparated with out fault and found himself on the side of a high covered with fresh snow.

The sun was just beginning to peek over the large hills behind him so Ron had no need for the warm cloak he had packed into his bag. He stomped over the freshly laid snow eager to find Harry and Hermione and make his apologies. Walking to the crest of the small hill he could now see the land around the small bump. There was nothing that indicated any other human presence apart from his. He scowled with irritation thinking that they should at least give away some hint about where they were but as he trudged back down the hill he remembered that hiding away this effectively was the whole point and Hermione had done a great job.

However he was certain that the two were here and not wanted to move in case he spotted one of them he sat under a tree and groaned loudly when it dumped a barrel load of snow on him. After he had dislodged the snow from his lap he settled himself in for a long game of hide and watch.

As the day wore on he became amazed by his new found patience. He had sat there under that same tree since about dawn this morning and now it was just after midday. He deserved a medal of the some sort of this. The medal of amazing waiting skills, he thought would be sufficient enough. Or even just seeing Harry or Hermione would be reward enough. Though it was bloody boring, it was necessary. The blue light had brought him here so here he would stay until night time and if by then if he hadn't seen a glimpse of the duo he would use the Deluminator again. He got out his sleeping bag and snuggled inside its warmth as the day got colder and the sun obscured by clouds.

Wanting to win the medal of amazing waiting skills suddenly and strangely made him less patient as time wore on; maybe he'd already won the medal or was about to win it so there was no longer any point. He started tapping his hands on his knees and squirming in his position underneath the tree. Moaning as he realized how long he'd been sitting under that bloody stupid tree for, he rose, fumbling around in his pocket for the Deluminator. There hadn't been so much as peep from anyone so he was sure it was time to move on.

He clicked the Deluminator and instantly the blue pulsating ball shot out and hovered before him. This time it didn't even float off it just floated straight into his chest and Ron experienced that burning feeling radiate about his heart again. Putting the Deluminator back in his pocket he Disapparated letting the light take him where it chose.

He arrived in a dense wood where the snow was thinner and much had been caught on the branches of the trees that sheltered the ground. Swinging his bag over his shoulder he walked a little way in, searching for any glimpse of Harry or Hermione. After sinking to the dry ground using his bag as a seat for a long while he was beginning to wonder if the Deluminator was tricking him and if he was traveling further and further away from his friends. Yet he had this feeling that the Deluminator was right after all Dumbledore had created it.

He had just settled in for another long wait when he caught sight of something silver slither through the trees, he stood up. It was a doe that shone with a radiant silvery glow; it stood out in the dark green of the trees. The doe was a little way ahead of him about 200m or more. It stopped to look behind it as if it was waiting for something to catch up.

Then Ron saw him and his heart and stomach seemed to flip from joy inside him. Harry was absently following the doe like ducklings followed their mother. Harry didn't see him as Ron bent low to gather his belongings and follow the pair into the darker part of the woods. He hadn't seen Harry for nearly a week.

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**_Could I ask you to read my other story_ Curiosity _and review it please? I'd like more than two opinions on it, however good those opinions are! If you could that would be really good. Thank you!_ **

**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	10. Not a Hero

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Ten: Not a Hero**

The silvery-white Doe that shone brightly like the moon and stars combined left no hoof prints behind as she walked angelically through the forest. Ron hugged his cloak closer to his body begging for more warmth to come. He was in the wake of both the Doe and Harry so it seemed he was walking in a cold draft of air. Ron vaguely wondered if he should call out Harry's name now and run to him, if the thing was of a dark origin he should do exactly that. Yet his thoughts to this were: How could a thing that beautiful be dark? 

Was it Harry's Patronus he was absently following? If it was, why did it look so different? Maybe Harry had changed in some way and his Patronus was now showing the effect. Tonks' had changed.

The Doe was deliberately stepping through the trees as if she was taking Harry some place of great importance, and Harry the bloody idiot, was following without quarrel or complaint. The Doe radiated a silvery glow that blossomed over the trees and plants where she stepped. Because of this bright silver light there was no need for Ron to cast Lumos. Ron soon found himself to be following the Doe in a trance like state. Snow crunched beneath his feet and abandoned twigs and branches snapped under his weight but neither Harry nor the Doe showed any signs that they had noticed someone following them on their silent wander.

Harry and the Doe disappeared from Ron's sight as they walked behind snow white sprinkled trees, he following on behind at a respectful distance too far behind to catch up and he was still too nervous to speak to Harry yet. When the Doe turned a corner in the dense forest and Harry calmly pursued it Ron didn't hurry after them, curtain he'd be able to see them when he too rounded that corner.

Finding himself standing at the place where Harry and the slivery creature had vanished, Ron felt panic start to build up inside of him. Harry was no where to be seen, there was no evidence in the thick woods of where he had vanished too and there was no noise to be heard no matter how hard Ron listened. Fearing the worst he darted off into the patch of trees to his left, pushing through the bracken that swiped at his face. Now that he wasn't following the Doe everything seemed to come crashing back down into reality. There was no sweet sense of simply being able to follow, or basking in the faint silver glow she left behind. There was only undergrowth tearing and clawing at his face and the strange sense of an over whelming darkness. The spell of the Doe had been broken and he was left in the dark.

He fumbled for his wand which he had hidden up the sleeve of his warm cloak, so warm he only had a couple of layers on under it. Finding his wand he held out in front of him and cast _Lumos, _flinching back from the sudden invasion of bright light. There was nothing before him, nothing expect darker regions of the forest a place he was sure neither Harry nor the Doe had no intention of going. Straining his vision he tried to see beyond the vivid circle of light around him and into the darkness ahead looking for the glow of the animal. Which was not there.

Cursing to himself he backed tracked on his steps and found himself staring down at footprints that must be Harry's and not his own. The footprints where too small to be his own. Bravely he trailed Harry's footsteps in the pure snow. His walk broke into a run as Harry couldn't be seen anywhere around him. Walking on the further the trees suddenly parted and gave way to a pool and Harry standing beside it in only his underwear.

Ron drew back a little trying to think of a way to come up to Harry. _You seem to have lost your clothes _just didn't seem to cut it, nor did a proclamation of undying love. At the moment Ron thought a single _hi _would suffice. As he drew nearer Harry dived into the pool and disappeared under the icy depths of the surface.

Ron waited for exactly thirty seconds and when Harry didn't come up he threw off his heavy cloak and pelted for the pool. He thought he saw a person standing in the shelter of the trees but now was hardly the time for him to turn and look. Splashing into the water the first thing he noticed was how piercing cold it was and how he was lucky to be wearing most of his clothing. The second thing was Harry was struggling with the Horcrux around his neck, it was tightening and tightening. The third thing was a sword lay at the bottom of the pool glinting furiously when the light from above touched the rubies set in it. The Sword of Gryffindor, it had to be. Reaching out and grabbing it he cut the chain of the Horcrux from Harry's neck and just as he felt himself losing air he pushed Harry up to the surface before kicking himself upwards.

As he felt the side of the surface he pulled himself out after seeing that Harry had pulled himself into dry land as well. Struggling to his feet, Ron stood and coughed up some water before noticing he had two items clutched firmly in his hands. He looked down at them, the Horcrux on its short chain and the Sword of Gryffindor in the other. Ron staggered back to his cloak and threw it at Harry who was sitting beside the pool gulping in huge mouthfuls of air. The cloak hit him on the head and he instantly grabbed it and curled up inside.

'Are – you – bloody – mental?' he asked Harry as he too fought to regain his breath.

Harry hadn't yet seemed to have realized or even comprehended that someone had pulled him out of the pool and that that someone had been Ron. His head snapped up and he shakily stood. Harry didn't say anything simply stared at Ron like he thought it was a dream. He pulled the cloak tighter around his shoulders and slipped his arms through it. Ron could see him trembling.

'Are you insane?' Ron asked him again. He shook the hand holding the Horcrux at him, 'why didn't you take this off before you jumped in?!'

'It was y – you,' Harry stuttered his teeth chattering and his voice weak.

'Yeah,' Ron said wondering if the cold water had affected his brain. Yeah he had just saved from the stupid Horcrux and yeah Harry was an idiot.

'You c – cast that Doe?'

'What?' Ron asked. No, he hadn't the cast the Doe but for some time he'd been following it like Harry had. 'I thought that was your Patronus! I thought it was you doing it!' Harry stepped back from Ron looking for his stuff and Ron was suddenly aware of how much space there was between them.

'How'd you come here?' Harry asked him finally, it was the question Ron had been waiting for. He needed to ask if he was welcome back.

'I've … you know, I've come back,' Ron paused and looked away from Harry, his head drooped. 'That is, if you still want me.' He wouldn't meet Harry's eyes in case he saw refusal in them. Without meeting Harry's eyes he walked over and handed the sword and Horcrux to him. 'I got it out,' he said. 'It was what you dived in for, wasn't it?'

'Yeah,' Harry said and nodded but he didn't take the sword or Horcrux from Ron. 'But I don't understand Ron, how did you get here? How did you find us?'

'Long story,' Ron said. 'I'd been searching around for hours and thought I'd have to kip under a tree _again _when I saw that deer coming, and you following.'

'Did you see anything else?'

'No,' Ron began and then glanced behind back to the trees where he had thought he'd seen something. 'I – over there, I thought just for a second I saw someone.'

Harry immediately rose to his feet and stormed over to where Ron had pointed the cloak billowing out behind him. Ron stood still.

'Anything there?' he asked.

'No.'

'So how'd the sword get in the pool?'

'Who ever cast the Patronus must have put it there.'

Ron looked at the elaborate sword that he still held in his hand. Its ruby studded still glinted in the wand light. 'Do you think it's the real one?' he asked.

'One way to find out, isn't there?' Harry asked him.

Ron looked down at the Horcrux in his hand and the sword in the other. The Horcrux seemed to be twitching inside the locket like it was irritated or it could sense what was coming. Ron nodded; Harry needed to destroy the Horcrux now.

'Come here,' Harry said and led the way to a flat rock. He brushed the snow of the rock and held out his hand for the Horcrux.

Ron gratefully handed it over, he hated that thing. But when he offered the sword too, Harry refused with a shake of his head.

'No, you should do it.'

'What?' Ron asked startled and pulling back his outstretched arm. 'What, why?'

'Because you got the sword out of the pool. I think it's supposed to be you.'

Staring down at the sword and then back at Harry like he had gone bonkers, Ron thought that he wasn't supposed to do this. Harry should do this. Harry was more of a Gryffindor then he was, it should be him.

'I'm going to open it, ok?' Harry said. 'Then you stab it with the sword. Straight away, ok? Because whatever is in there will put up a fight. The bit of Riddle's diary tried to kill me.'

Ron was terrified; he didn't know why Harry wanted this of him. He wasn't a bloody hero! He couldn't do this. Whatever was in the Horcrux had such a strong hold over him whenever he wore it didn't want to think let alone find out what would happen if Harry opened it.

'How will you open it?' Ron asked hoping Harry couldn't find a way.

'I'm going to ask it open in Parseltongue,' said Harry quickly and without thought.

As Harry was about to move his lips and utter the snake like words, Ron lost it, he couldn't do it. 'No!' he cried. 'Don't open it! Please don't open it.'

'Why not?' Harry asked confused. 'It's been months, let's get rid of the damn thing.'

'I can't! That thing is bad for me!' Ron said and he backed away from the locket and the rock dropping the sword on the ground. 'I can't handle it! I make's me think things, stuff that I was already thinking, it just makes it worse! It's worse for me then you and Hermione! As soon as I'd take it off and set about clearing my head, I'd have to put it on again! – I can't do it, Harry.'

'You can do it! You've got the sword, you can do it! Just please get rid of it, Ron.'

The sound of Harry saying his name in that pleading way made him act. He swallowed and breathing hard he bent down to pick the sword up. He had to do this for Harry even if he didn't want to. He walked back to the rock and stood beside Harry, shaking intensely.

'T – tell me when,' he croaked.

'One – two – three - '

Ron didn't understand the last word that came out of Harry's mouth so he knew it was Parseltongue. He gulped knowing what he had to do was coming.

The locket opened and inside was an eye. Two dark and handsome brown coloured eyes that blinked up at them with innocence, with as much innocence that a disembodied eye could have anyway.

'Stab,' Harry commanded holding the locket steady for him.

Ron held the tip of the sword dangling just above the blinking eyes shaking as much as his hands were. He tried to he really tried but the swiveling eyes held him in a trance of terror unable to stab the thing when he wanted to the most. He tried. He really tried.

A voice hissed out of the Horcrux and Ron stepped back with a whimper.

'_I have seen into your heart,' _it hissed, _'and it's mine to take.' _

'Ron!' Harry yelled. 'Don't listen to it, stab it!'

_'I have seen into your mind, Ronald Weasley, your dreams and your hopes. I tell you now none of them will happen.' _

Staring horrified at the Horcrux Ron had the thought to run away but when he tried to move he found he couldn't. It was like someone had placed him in a body bind and was holding him rigid in front of his worst fear.

_'All that you dread will happen. Nothing you desire, dream or hope for will.' _

'Stab it!' Harry yelled harshly. Ron wasn't listening.

_'Least loved by all, by a mother who wanted a daughter and least loved now by two friends who prefer each other … second best … internally over shadowed …' _

'Ron, stab it now!' Harry bellowed but Ron didn't hear. He was staring at the locket with an expression of horror written across his face.

Out of the locket bloomed two heads, disgustingly distorted of Harry and Hermione. Ron screamed in shock and backed away as the figures rose out of the locket, first chests then the rest of the body followed in a slick movement. Ron was panting and he felt cold and clammy like he was stuck inside a freeze room. The figures swayed over him with their arms glued to their sides like invisible ropes were around them.

_'Why return?' _The fake Harry asked him in a jeering voice. He looked more handsome and terrifying then ever. His pitch black hair hung completely over his glasses but when he flicked it away his eyes were greener then the tossing sea. '_Why return when no one wants you here? We were better without you, so much better. We laughed in your absence. We laughed at your stupidity, your cowardice.' _

_'Pathetic!' _the fake Hermione sneered at him. '_Pathetic! To think that Harry would every want you. _You, _he could have anyone. He'd never choose you, he'd never mean it. What are you compared to the Boy-Who-Lived, what are you compared to the Chosen One?' _

'RON!' Harry yelled at him and this time the cry settled on the edge of his consciousness. 'STAB IT NOW!'

Ron didn't move, he stared transfixed at the monstrous shapes before him. They began to fly around him jeering and sneering and mocking him and every opportunity but always coming back to the fact that he wasn't good enough. Never good enough. If he could stab the Horcrux would he be good enough? Finally good enough? Something in the back of his mind told him what the Horcrux was saying wasn't true but the power of the words echoed over him, engulfing his mind. Could he finally be good enough?

Readjusting the sword in his hands he staggered forward. The sword flashed as he held it up high and he brought it down just as quickly. There was an ear piercing shriek and the sword hit the Horcrux plunging through the center of the eye and then the other. He had closed his eyes the entire time, he was too weak to leave them open. To weak to see what had become of the Horcrux. All he knew was that the visions of Harry and Hermione where gone.

He sank to the ground shaking, his whole body convulsing as he let the tears fall freely. He didn't want to think about what the Horcrux had said, it had been too terrible, yet he couldn't help but think about it. To him it seemed all true, all too true. The sword fell from his hand as he wrapped his arms around his legs just sitting there in the snow with tears pouring from his eyes.

Ron felt a hand press against his back and the warmth of his cloak wrap around his shoulders. He looked up. Harry was sitting beside him, half of the large cloak draped around himself the other around Ron. Ron couldn't help the tears that billowed from his eyes. Harry's arms engulfed him and Ron pressed his head against his naked shoulder unable to stop crying.

'Ron,' Harry said softly.

But Ron cut in front of what he was saying. 'Is what it said true?' he asked choking on some of his words.

'No,' Harry said his arms tightening around Ron's back. 'It's not true, Ron, I – I love you, Ron.'

Ron sniffed. 'Really?'

'I love you, Ron, so much. It killed me when you left, I couldn't think straight. Everything was a disaster without you. Ron, I love you and I need you so much. Please, Ron.'

'I love you, Harry,' Ron stammered.

'I never really realized how much you loved me until you left, and until this. I never knew you loved me that much.'

'I do,' Ron said still sniffing and wiping away his tears on Harry's shoulder. 'I love you.'

Harry lifted his head from his shoulder with soft fingertips on his chin and looked him firmly in the eye. Ron's eyes flickered down to stare at the snow beneath them; he didn't want Harry to see his tear stained face.

'Look at me, Ron.'

Harry's fingers where still pressing into his chin forcing his face to be level with his, slowly Ron brought his eyes up to look into Harry's. There was a burning truth in Harry's eyes that Ron couldn't ignore even if he tried to.

'I – love – you,' Harry said drawing out each word, each syllable to make the three words sound more whole and true then ever.

Ron nodded his eyes filling with tears again. 'I love you, too,' he said back with all the truth Harry showed in his eyes and words.

Their lips met in a soft chaste kiss, Ron sighed. He'd missed this, how gentle Harry's lips felt against his. When they broke apart Harry smiled at him.

'I hope you understand,' he said and Ron nodded.

* * *

**_Could I ask you to read my other story_ Curiosity _and review it please? I'd like more than two opinions on it, however good those opinions are! If you could that would be really good. Thank you!_ **

**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	11. The Wand

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* * *

**

**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Eleven: The Wand**

'I'm sorry I left,' Ron said as he and Harry walked through the woods trying to find the place where Harry and Hermione had set up the tent. They were walking hand in hand through the bracken and old snow, their free hands holding both wands directly out before them, the light guiding their steps. 'I was a – a,' he struggled to find the right words since nothing really described how stupid he'd been the night he ran off.

Harry squeezed his hand. 'You sort of made up for it tonight,' he said. 'Getting the sword, destroying the Horcrux and saving my life.'

'Merlin, that makes me sound so much cooler than I was,' Ron said with a snort of laughter. 'You should also mention that I broke down afterwards, that'd really make me sound fantastic.'

'Stuff like that always sounds better,' Harry said. 'I've been trying to tell you that for years.'

Ron kissed the top of Harry's head just happy to be back with him and Harry leaned into him as they walked around trying to find the tent but in no hurry. Finding the tent was not hard, following Harry and the Doe had seemingly taken hours but walking back with Harry's hand in his, it took what seemed like five seconds and he felt like he was still walking in the glow of the Doe.

The inside of the tent was gloriously warm compared to the freezing outside and the pool. Ron was still dripping and damp from the plunge into the water but Harry in Ron's long warm cloak seemed to have warmed up considerably. Harry rushed into the depths of the tent calling Hermione's name and telling her there was someone with him. Ron stepped inside the tent a little sheepishly unsure of what Hermione's reaction to his return would be. At the time he left she had been crying like he had and emotional where as Harry was stone cold.

'Someone's there?' Ron heard Hermione asking Harry in a hushed voice. 'Who is it?'

'Go see,' Harry urged.

Hermione's curly head emerged from the bunk in which she had been sitting and when she saw Ron, sword in hand and soaking wet she ran at him with her arms wide open and engulfed him in a huge hug.

'Selfish prat,' Hermione hissed and smacked him over the head with the palm of her hand once the embrace broke off.

'Ow, Hermione that hurt!'

Strangely Hermione looked like she had something to tell him and pulled him back into another rib constructing hug and whispered in his ear. 'Harry's been dreaming of you.'

'Bad dreams?' Ron asked nearly pulling away from Hermione as she said this because he was terrified about what might happen to him.

'No,' Hermione shook her head against his neck. 'Definitely not bad dreams, Ron, he's been missing you a lot,' she added with a mutter before patting his cheek and breaking the hug off again, Ron was left to wonder about what she really meant.

'Ron,' Harry said sitting down in one of the chairs. 'What happened, you said you wanted to come back straight away but you couldn't, what happened?'

'Well,' Ron said taking a deep breath and launching into the story about what had happened to him. He got the whistles and low remarks he wanted at points in his story and increased the pace because he seemed to be doing a good job. Once that story was over, he and Harry filled Hermione in on what had taken place at the pool.

'So,' Hermione said eyeing them. 'Harry you just followed some one else's Patronus without evening thinking, you just followed it?'

'Yeah, I didn't know what else to do, Hermione. It was there and I followed it. All worked out for the best in the end, right?' Harry asked with a grin.

'And then you jumped in after him, got the sword out and stabbed the locket?' Hermione asked Ron.

'That's the general idea of it, yeah,' Ron replied.

'Here,' Harry said and delved into the pocket of Ron's cloak, which he was still wearing, and drew out the Horcrux throwing it towards Hermione. It landed in her lap and she picked it up gingerly examining the damage. Once she was content that it truly was destroyed she threw it back to Harry who returned it to the pocket.

'It just died like that, that easily?' she asked.

Ron begged Harry without words not to tell Hermione how he had cried and broken down beside the pool, coming back and being smacked around the head by her was embarrassing enough.

'It screamed,' Harry said with no glance at Ron. 'It screamed really loudly and then it 'died'.'

'Urgh,' Hermione commented and hugged each of the boys before she excused herself for bed.

Ron pulled his bag out from where it had been shoved underneath the table and dug deep inside it to find his maroon pajamas. Harry had just taken off Ron's cloak as he was simply wearing a pair of underwear under that before he slipped into the bottom bunk. Pulling on the pajamas Ron stared at him as Harry played with the empty Horcrux that hung on the chain.

'Harry, you'll freeze,' Ron said mentioning how little Harry was wearing to bed.

'That's why I'm in _your_ bunk,' Harry said throwing the Horcrux across the room and not caring about it a second longer.

'Oh, well that explains it all then,' Ron scowled but still felt a flush of warmth and butterflies in his stomach as Harry waited for him to come to bed. The bunks were small but they'd manage just fine.

Hermione said nothing, she would have probably told them to be quiet by now but after the return of her wand Ron was sure he had heard her cast a silencing spell of some kind, and she seemed nearly fast asleep anyway.

Tentatively Ron climbed into his old bunk beside Harry and as soon as he settled down Harry draped his arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

'See,' he said. 'I'll use you for warmth.'

Nodding with no objection to this Ron moved his head so it was on the single pillow next to Harry's. He saw Harry's lips curl up into a smile and he did the same and then kissed Harry softly on the lips, Harry kissed back like he was desperate to feel Ron's touch again. After the kiss it seemed he still had some question on his mind though.

'Did you say you got another wand?' Harry asked pulling his glasses off and throwing them so they landed on the chair.

'Yeah,' Ron said. 'I picked it up from one of those Snatchers.'

'That's great!' Harry said. 'Mine broke at Godric's Hollow,' he added. Ron knew the story of what had happened there, Harry and Hermione had told him all about it.

'I'll get it,' Ron said slipping out of the sheets he went to the bag he had brought and fumbled around inside it until he found the wand. 'Here,' he said handing it to Harry as he got back into the bed.

Harry looked at the wand and ran his fingers over it, sighed miserably obviously thinking of his old wand but still put the old one under the shared pillow and rested his head back down. 'It'll do,' he said with a resigned tone, 'until I can get another one anyway.'

'I thought that four wands would be better then three, or to have a back up anyway,' Ron said. 'Lucky I grabbed it, huh?'

'Yeah, that was lucky.'

Ron yawned deeply and covered his mouth with his hand. 'Blimey, some day that was.'

'Mm, I was so happy to see you,' Harry mused. 'I thought you'd never be coming back.'

'When I couldn't find the tent the first time I thought I'd never be coming back,' Ron said. 'The Deluminator is bloody brilliant, never would have found you without it.'

'Just because you've got that thing doesn't mean you can run off now and just come back all the time,' Harry told him.

'Wouldn't dream of running off again,' he promised.

* * *

The next morning Ron was in a cheery mood, he was simply happy to be back and surrounded by his friends. The question of who sent the Doe wasn't bothering him as much as it was Harry and Hermione but when they discussed it over breakfast they were sure to include Ron even if a little awkwardly at first, they kept asking him questions after every sentence. But by lunch everything was back to normal and Hermione was shooting him annoyed glances whenever he said something stupid and Harry seemed permanently glued to his side – or was he permanently glued to Harry's? – As if he was afraid he'd run off again.

It was when Harry and Hermione brought up the topic of You-Know-Who that Ron began to wonder how they had already heard of how his name was Taboo when they had barely any contact with the outside world. He thought that maybe they had heard somehow but it was unlikely, it didn't explain how they had just stopped saying You-Know-Who's name when both had been so ok with saying it before.

'How do you know about the Taboo?' he asked them when there was a gap in the speech, they were all stretched out in front of the tent still in the boundary of the wards.

'The what?' Hermione asked brushing her hair out of face as the wind blew it across her vision again.

'The Taboo,' Ron repeated. 'You two have stopped saying You-Know-Who's name altogether!'

'Oh yeah,' Harry said. 'It was a bad habit. But I've got now problem calling him V-'

'NO!' Ron yelled at him and covered his mouth with his hand. 'Don't say it,' he hissed. 'Sorry, but that's how they track people now. The name has been jinxed! They nearly got Kingsley with it, and half the Order. Kingsley's in hiding now. Using his name breaks magical enchantments or something, it causes a magical disturbance – it's how they found us that time it Tottenham Court Road, do you remember the two Death Eaters?'

'Just because we used his _name?' _Harry asked and Hermione sat bolt upright her eyes staring fixatedly on Ron.

'Yeah, now they've put a Taboo on it anyone who says it is traceable – quick and easy way to find any Order members or people who aren't afraid of him.'

'Like Kingsley and most of the Order,' Hermione said. 'Is that how they found him?'

'Yeah, I said that before.'

They conversation drew off to less important things and in the end Ron and Hermione found they were watching Harry practice with the new wand Ron had taken. Hermione had spent some time looking at it and then had conceded that it was made of blackthorn. This new wand didn't really work well with Harry, it took him two tries to get anything right and sometimes he couldn't even reverse what he'd done. Ron saw Hermione looking at Harry trying to use the new wand with a depressed and guilty expression on her face with her shoulders drooped. He knew that she must be feeling at fault for breaking Harry's wand but there was nothing they could do about that now. Harry had told him that she tried everything to fix Harry's wand but it was well and truly broken and unusable. Thinking or hoping that Harry would finally get the hang of it or one of them would have to lend him their wand permanently because he was truly useless with that wand.

Night fell quickly, masking the countryside where they where camped in a thick blanket of dark shadows. The entrance to the tent was dim and little could be seen apart from the hunched over figure of Harry trying to make stones levitate with the blackthorn wand. Hermione who had been unable to stand any more of his futile attempts had retreated to her bunk completely masked by the shadows except for a small flicker of light from her hand. The light was so dim that she was probably only able to just read the writing in the book she was reading. Ron thought she might be feeling so guilty of what she had done to want to perform her own magic properly.

Ron rummaged around in his bag and pulled out the small radio he had brought, it had been a completely mystery to him but Fleur and Bill had helped him master it. He plunked down beside Harry and began tuning it trying to find the right station. It was difficult to find because they had to keep moving around to stop from being raided so they couldn't air every night and there was a password to tune in, but it was worth it. The people who ran it told the news like it was.

'There is this channel,' he said to Harry when the boy shot him a curious look. 'Tells the news like it is. All the others who are on You-Know-Who's side, they follow the new Ministry line but this, wait until you hear it. It's bloody brilliant. The only trouble is that they have to keep changing locations in case they are raided each night and you need a passwords, I missed it last night so I don't know it.'

Ron groaned and tapped his wand on the small wireless muttering small words under his breath that had been passwords in earlier days. He kept doing this until he ended up drumming out a tune and uttering out the words quietly like it was a song. He ceased suddenly when Hermione climbed down from her bunk with the _Life of Albus Dumbledore _clutched tightly in her hand. Ron resisted the urge to curl up into fetal position in case she wanted to bash him over the head with it.

'What?' Harry asked her apprehensively. Ron remembered there was a huge chapter in the book describing Harry's relationship with the old Professor, it was completely full of lies and Ron had read it and laughed but still from Harry's point of view it could hardly be pleasant to read about something so untrue like that.

'I want to go and see Xenophilius Lovegood,' she said her fingers clenching around the book.

'Pardon?' Harry asked so surprised that he accidentally sent a stone flying up through the canvas cover of the tent. Ron thought it was the best piece of magic he'd done so far with that wand.

'I want to go and see Luna's father,' Hermione repeated.

'Why?' Harry asked.

'Because it's that mark, the mark in _Beedle the Bard_. Look at this!' Hermione said and thrust the book under Harry's nose so he could look at something. Ron scowled. 'Sorry, Ron,' Hermione said and after Harry had finished looking she pushed the book up into his face.

On the page was an original photo of a faded brown letter that Dumbledore had written to the wizard Grindelwald. It was written in the slanting writing that Ron indistinctly recognized as Dumbledore's.

'The signature!' Hermione told them and they shuffled closer together so they could both look at the book at the same time. 'Look at the signature!'

Ron stared and for a moment had no clue what she was talking about but then he saw something in the signature that looked vaguely familiar. He saw that Dumbledore had replaced the A of _Albus _with the same triangular mark Ron had seen in the _Tales of Beedle the Bard_ but more often then not hadn't paid attention too. He didn't know why that was such a big thing. So what that Dumbledore had been a fan? He'd had a copy for Hermione in his personal library hadn't he?

'So?' Ron said. 'Dumbledore liked _Beedle the Bard_ remember, Hermione? He gave you the book, didn't he?'

'No, Ron,' Hermione said. 'That's not what I mean. This mark keeps cropping up everywhere, doesn't it? I know Viktor said it was Grindelwald's mark but it was definitely on that old grave in Godric's Hollow and the dates on that were long before Grindelwald came along.'

'So what?' said Ron. 'Maybe the only reason Dumbledore used it was because he fancied Grindelwald.'

'Yeah right, Ron,' Harry said harshly and turned back to Hermione so she could continue.

'We can't ask either Dumbledore or Grindelwald because well, yes. But we can ask Mr Lovegood!' she said enthusiastically. 'I saw him wearing it at the wedding.'

'Look,' Harry said. 'Didn't we agree that Dumbledore wasn't leaving us secret messages or signs?'

'The Deluminator turned out to be pretty useful,' Ron spoke up. 'I reckon we should go see him, get out of this place for a bit.'

'You've only been back one night, Ron, how can you be sick of it already?' Harry asked.

'I don't like the smell of cat.' Ron wrinkled his nose, the tent did stink. 'It won't be like Godric's Hollow,' he added. 'Lovegood's on your side. You should read the stuff he's been printing in the Quibbler.'

'Harry, I think we should go,' Hermione said. 'A symbol that links Dumbledore, Grindelwald and Godric's Hollow, we've got to check it out.'

Harry thought about this for a moment and Ron saw his eyes flickering between him and Hermione. 'Fine,' he said. 'Only, once we've seen the Lovegood's we have to go and find more Horcruxes. Where do the Lovegood's live anyway? Do either of you know?'

'They live somewhere near us,' Ron said. 'Whenever mum talked about them she'd always point over in the hills somewhere. It shouldn't be hard to find them.'

After her plight had been agreed to Hermione slunk back to bed and continued reading the _Life of Albus Dumbledore, _Ron thought the light from her wand seemed brighter.

'Cheer up,' he said to Harry slinging an arm around his shoulders. 'It's Christmas, so Luna will be home.'

The next morning they all Disapparated to a hill on the outskirts of Ottery St Catchpole. Even though it was windy day and the breeze was uncomfortably pushing at them Ron and the others stood for a while all staring in the direction of the Burrow. Ron stared at it with longing, he could almost smell the delicious breakfast that his mother would be cooking and the warmth of his bed beckoned to him. All he could see was the high hedges that protected the house from prying Muggle eyes.

'It's weird,' Ron said slowly, 'being so close and not being able to go and visit.'

'Well it's not like you haven't just been there. You were there for Christmas,' Hermione said and Harry nodded.

'No I wasn't!' Ron said throwing his hands up. 'Like I'd go back there and tell them I walked out on you, Ginny would box my ears in and so would Fred and George.'

'Where were you then?'

'I was at Bill and Fleur's new place, Shell Cottage. Nice,' he commented. 'Bill's always been good to me, but he wasn't impressed when he heard what I'd done. He didn't go on about it though or tell the rest of the family I was there. He and Fleur stayed home for Christmas anyway. You know, first Christmas married and stuff. I don't think Fleur minded much, she hates Christina Warbeck.'

Ron sighed and took one long look at the Burrow before he let Harry take his arm and walk him away.

* * *

**_Could I ask you to read my other story_ Curiosity _and review it please? I'd like more than two opinions on it, however good those opinions are! If you could that would be really good. Thank you!_ **

**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	12. The Tale of the Three Brother's

**

* * *

**

**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Twelve: The Tale of the Three Brother's**

A dark black house rose up against the morning sky with the ghostly moon still hanging behind it. The cylinder house was shaped like a chess rook and Ron knew in an instant that it had to be the Lovegood's house. Who else would live in a place like that? He raced to the top of the hill with the others following behind him. He was right, it was their house. Three signs had been tacked to the broken down gate. Ron didn't stop to read them; he just saw the surname Lovegood and beckoned the others to follow him through the front yard.

The gate creaked as Ron opened it. Before him was a cobbled stoned path that zigzagged away towards the front door. Many odd and dangerous looking plants littered the sides of the path, including a bush covered in orange fruit. Ron only noticed it because Luna sometimes wore the flowers as earrings.

Behind him he heard Hermione say to Harry, 'Perhaps you should take the Invisibility cloak off. It's you Mr Lovegood wants to help, not us.'

Ron turned around just in time to see Harry shed the cloak with a short nod. Harry handed her the cloak and she stored it away in the beaded bag, the bangles on her wrist clanging against something else metallic she had hidden away in the bags depths. Hermione stepped forward pushing Ron aside so she could get to the door and rap three times on the thick, black knocker that was studded with some kind of stones and shaped like the head of an eagle.

Barely four seconds past before the door was flung open and a very disheveled looking Xenophilius Lovegood was standing in the way. He stood barefooted, wearing an overlarge shirt and his usually white, cottony hair was dirty and unkempt and flying about his face like he was a mad man.

'Yes, what is it? What do you want?' he cried staring down at the three the distress in his voice also apparent in his face. His mouth formed a delicate 'O' when's his eyes finally settled on Harry who was standing between Ron and Hermione.

'Hello Mr Lovegood,' Harry said smoothly holding out his hand. 'I'm Harry, Harry Potter.'

Ron kept his laugh quiet but thought to himself, _yeah, as if he doesn't know. _The look on Xenophilius' face showed that yes, he did know who Harry was but he wasn't sure he liked the idea of him standing on his doorstep with his three cronies.

Xenophilius did not accept Harry's handshake and his eyes had slide to Harry's scarred forehead. 'Oh,' he said again.

'Is it all right if we come in, Mr Lovegood?' Harry asked using his most polite voice. 'We have some things we'd like to ask you.'

The white haired man stared at them like he thought this might all just be a dream. 'I -, I don't think that would be advisable-' he drew off and let out a high pitched giggle as he tried to slam the door shut. Harry stuck out his knee so the door caught on it and would not budge.

'Mr Lovegood,' he said. 'It won't take long, it'll be quick.'

'Rather a shock … my word …' he babbled. 'I don't think so; I think you really ought to go.'

'It'll only a take a few minutes,' Harry said determinedly not moving his leg so that Mr Lovegood could not shut the door.

'Oh, all right,' he said finally relinquishing yet he didn't look happy about it. '_Quickly!' _

They walked over the threshold and were barely inside when Xenophilius slammed the door shut behind them with a loud, resounding bang. They were standing in the strangest room Ron had ever seen. It was perfectly circular as was the outside of the house, everything was curved to fit, the oven, the cupboards, the sink and all of the walls had been painted with insects and birds in bright, blinding colours. Ron had the urge to step back and rub his eyes before looking at the room again, the effect was slightly overwhelming. In the middle of the room an iron stair case led up into the higher levels of the house. There was a great deal of banging, Ron frowned. What could Luna be doing up there?

'I think you better come up,' Xenophilius said with a nervous cough. He looked very uncomfortable about having the three of them in his home but he led the way up the staircase.

The room they entered next seemed to be a combination of a living area and a work room. It was even more cluttered than the kitchen, and Ron had to pick his steps carefully to avoid stepping on something. The room was smaller then the one below and resembled something Ron couldn't quite remember so he turned his attention to the piles of books laying on every available surface. Models that looked as though they had been painstakingly made hung from the surface on strings and wires. Luna was not in the room, as Ron found out after a quick scan and the thing that was making the racket was something he had never seen before in his life so he couldn't name it. But it seemed to be spitting Quibblers out by the dozen.

'Why have you come here?' Xenophilius asked turning to face Harry with a dark look on his face.

Before Harry could speak, Ron heard Hermione let out a small cry of shock. 'Mr Lovegood, what is that?'

She was pointing at an enormous spiraling horn that was a dull shade of grey and mounted on the wall.

'The Horn of the Crumple-Horned Snorkack,' Xenophilius said and Ron groaned when Hermione looked at the horn and then back to Xenophilius with a doubting expression on her face. What they didn't need right now was an argument.

'No, it isn't!' Hermione cried.

_Oh, great. _Ron thought with a grimace. He looked at Harry who had flushed a red colour from Hermione's outburst.

'Hermione,' Harry muttered. 'Now is not the time.'

Ron tuned out of the disagreement, he often did that when Hermione started talking knowledge. He must have been looking quite blank because Harry nudged him when he had stopped the minor quarrel between Hermione and Xenophilius and told him to listen. Obviously he thought three sets of ears where better then two as he listened to the information the old man would hopefully divulge to them.

'Mr Lovegood,' Harry said again. 'We need your help.'

Xenophilius froze and stared wide eyed at the three of them before he coughed awkward and muttered, 'Help? Helping Harry Potter is very dangerous … dangerous.'

'Aren't you the one telling everyone to help Harry?' Ron asked remembering all that he had read in the Quibbler. 'Aren't you telling everyone to help him in that magazine of yours?'

Xenophilius glanced at the thing that was spitting out Quibblers and frowned. 'Er – yes, I seem to have been putting that across, however -'

'- that's for everyone else to do? Not you, right?' Ron asked glaring at the idiotic man.

Xenophilius did not answer but his eyes kept fluttering to corners of the room as if he expected someone to barge in at any moment.

'Let's ask Luna what she thinks of this,' Hermione said. 'Where is she anyway?

'She's down at the river!' Xenophilius said hurriedly and loudly. 'She … she would like to see you. I will call her then,' the man stammered. 'Very well, I shall help you.' He disappeared down the spiral stair case and Ron heard the front door slam behind him.

'Cowardly old wart,' he seethed. 'Luna's got ten times his guts.'

'He's probably worried about what would happen if the Death Eaters found out I was here,' Harry said.

'I still say he's a coward,' Ron said crossing his arms as they waited for the arrival of Luna or the return of Xenophilius, whatever came first.

Harry glared at him until Ron sighed and walked over from the strange headdress he had been looking at and wrapped his arms around Harry's neck.

'He can't be that cowardly if he's let us in,' Harry said not trying to push Ron off but instead stepping closer and nuzzling his neck.

'Ok, ok,' Ron said in Harry's hair. 'He just seems like he's got a closet full of Death Eaters or something like that.'

'Don't say that,' Harry told him. Ron opened his mouth to say something more but Harry cut across him. 'What if he has? Then you'll feel like a right prick for saying that.'

'Ok, ok,' Ron repeated. 'I'm sorry.'

Harry was silent for a moment just looking at Ron's face, then he suddenly flushed and stepped closer to Ron. 'Hey, Ron,' he whispered in his ear. 'When we get back to the tent, do you want to …?' He trailed off the deep blush growing stronger.

'What?' Ron asked confused. He nearly yelped and jumped back when Harry grabbed the seat of his pants, massaging and squeezing what they held. He didn't yelp but he let out a small moan.

'Do you want to?' Harry asked grinning as he let go.

'Y – Yeah,' Ron stammered clearing his throat from the squeaks instead of the normal speech that was coming out. 'Yeah, ok.'

'Good,' Harry said stepping away as Hermione shot them an odd look. 'I want you,' he mouthed to Ron.

Ron flushed a shade of red similar to that of his hair and was relieved when Hermione started talking to Harry about the supposed horn of the Snorkack.

It did not take long for Xenophilius to come back but they heard him clattering around in the kitchen making more noise than his strange machine before they saw him. When his wispy head finally appeared up the stairs he was carrying a tray on which four cups sat and a pitcher of purple juice. He cleared the books of a table with one clean sweep of his arm and set down the tray encouraging them to sit after he had himself. Ron picked his way over the books and sat next to Harry but a good distance from Xenphilius at the table.

'Luna is beyond Bottom Bridge, she has nearly collected enough Plimpies to make soup for all of us, she will not be long. Please have some infusion of Grudyroots,' he said offering the purple juice to them. 'We make it ourselves.'

At that Ron politely refused.

'Now,' Xenophilius said pulling a book out from underneath him and throwing it across the room. 'What is it you'd like to know?'

'Well,' said Harry after an encouraging look from Hermione. 'It's that symbol you were wearing around your neck at Bill and Fleur's wedding, Mr Lovegood. We wondered what it meant.'

Xenophilius raised his thin eye brows. 'What do you know of the Deathly Hallows?' he asked seriously leaning forward as if this was a secret only they could know.

Ron narrowed his eyes and scratched his head, he'd never heard of them before. He turned to Hermione who would probably know and her looking as puzzled as he. They collectively turned to look at Harry and found that, he too, had no clue what significance these words had.

'Nothing.'

'The Deathly Hallows?'

'That's quite right,' Xenophilius said. He'd lost his first nervous appearance and now seemed caught up in the thrill of story telling. 'You haven't heard of them? Well, I'm not surprised. Very few wizards believe. That knuckled headed, fat lipped Quidditch player at the wedding attacked for wearing a symbol of a Dark wizard. Such ignorance, incompetent! There is nothing dark about the Hallows – well nothing extremely dark. One simply used the symbol to reveal themselves to another believer in hopes they might help each other on the quest.' He stirred some lumps of sugar into his drink and then tipped the cup to his lips and drank deeply.

'I'm sorry,' Harry said. 'I still don't understand.'

'Well, you see, believers seek the Deathly Hallows,' Xenophilius told them.

'But what _are _the Deathly Hallows?' Hermione asked pushing her glass away when she saw Harry gag on the drink.

'I assume you are familiar with the Tale of the Three Brothers?'

Ron nodded saying 'Yes,' and so did Hermione but Harry shook his head and uttered, 'No.' Ron had heard of them because it was one of the stories that interested him most as a child but he'd never had a chance to read it because Ginny, Fred and George liked the one about the Troll and the Prince more so his mother always read that one to them as youngsters. Ron felt that sometimes he could recite the words if given a starter to go from; that was how well he knew both of those stories.

'Well, Mr Potter,' Xenophilius said nodding gravely. 'I have a copy here somewhere.'

'Don't worry,' Hermione said pulling the Tales of Beedle the Bard from her bag and putting it on the table so it was visible to all. 'I have it right here.'

Xenophilius raised his eyebrows. 'The original?' he asked. 'Very well, why don't you read it aloud? That way we can all understand it better.'

'Ah … all right,' Hermione said nervously and gave a little cough before beginning. '_"There were once three bothers who were traveling along a lonely, winding road at twilight-"'_

'Mum always used to say midnight,' Ron interrupted leaning back in the chair and putting his arms behind his head. Hermione shot him a look of annoyance.

'Sorry!' he said. 'I always thought it was a lot freakier at midnight.'

'As if we need a lot more fear in our lives, Ron,' Harry said picking up his chair and shuffling closer to him. 'Go on, Hermione,' he added.

_'"In time the brothers reached a river far too deep to wade across, too swift to swim through. However these brothers were learned in the magic arts, and so they simply waved their wands and a glorious stone bridge appeared over the churning water. They were halfway across at the very middle of the stone bridge when their path was blocked by a hooded figure with pale glowing skin as frightful as the moon."'_

Ron found himself mouthing the story as he knew it well and when Hermione stopped for a breath he wanted to continue himself. But she regained her breath and soldiered on.

_'"Death spoke to them-"'_

'Sorry!' Harry interrupted with his arms held out. 'Death spoke to them?'

'It's a fairy tale, Harry!' Hermione said.

'Right, go on.'

'"_Death spoke to them in a cold deep voice. He was angry that he had been cheated out of new victims for many a person died trying to cross the treacherous river. He pretended to congratulate the three on their magic but really his anger was large and he said that they had each won a prize for their skill and having been so clever as to evade him. So the oldest brother, with hair like the golden crops, asked for a wand more powerful than any in existence for he was a combative man. A wand that must win many duels for the owner, he said he wanted a wand worthy of a man who had cheated Death itself. So Death crossed the soft dewy morning grass to an elder tree and fashioned a wand from the lowest hanging branch that hung there. He gave it to the eldest._

_'"Then the second brother, with skin as fair as the stars, decided that he wanted to humiliate Death further for he was an arrogant man and saw only himself and those he loved, he asked for the power to revive others from death. So Death stooped low and picked up a stone from under the second brothers shoe and gave it to him saying that this stone would revive those from Death._

_'"Death then turned to the youngest brother, with eyes more blue then the summer sky and asked him what he desired. But the youngest was a humble man who did not trust the games Death played and pitied the foolishness of his brothers who had received gifts before him, he asked only for a way to journey places where Death could not follow him. He did not trust Death and the games that he played. Death frowned upon this sweet and humble man and handed him his own Cloak of Invisibility almost unwillingly."'_

'Hang on,' Harry said. 'Death has an Invisibility Cloak?'

'Yeah,' Ron said with a shrug. 'Sometimes he gets bored of running up to people flapping his arms and shouting … sorry Hermione.'

_'"Then Death stood aside and watched as the three brothers took their leave and continued on their way. He smiled a toothless grin to himself for he knew he'd see the three brothers again one day. In due course the brothers separated, each for his own journey and cause. _

_"The first brother traveled for no less than a week before he reached a distant village and sought out a fellow wizard for with to have a duel. With the Elder Wand as his weapon he would not fail to win this duel. Leaving his enemy dead after the quarrel they had endured, the first brother sought out an inn, where he loudly boasted not caring whose ears this information reached that had snatched his powerful wand from Death himself and how it now made him the greatest and most invincible wizard in the land. Due to the folly of the oldest brother another wizard stole to his room while he slept, wine keeping him in deep slumber. The thief took his wand and made off into the night after slitting the brother's neck for good measure and to teach him that boasting was his undoing. _

_'"And so Death took the first brother for his own, unable to hide the smile at the great folly of the man and how they had been reunited so soon. _

_'"In the meantime, the second brother had traveled far back to his own home where he lived alone and forgotten. He took the stone from its pouch and rolled it over in his hand. Once he did this and nothing happened. Twice he did this and nothing happened. Thrice he did this and then the image of a beautiful girl swarmed up from the ground before him; he had hoped to marry her before her sudden death. But the girl who had been sweet and tender in life was cold and distant in death, her voice no longer sang out to him and it was if she was covered by a veil because he could never truly look at her and she could never look at him. Eventually, the second brother, driven mad and dissolute by this took a sword and drove it through his heart so he could truly join her. _

_'"And then Death took the second brother for his own, laughing at the way he had wanted to cheat him and found that pain and suffering were a part of life as they are death. They had been reunited quickly. _

_'"But Death searched for the third brother for many a year, he was unable to find him. It was only when the third brother reached a great and ripe age that he took the cloak revealing dull eyes now and handed it to his own son. Death took him as a friend and he did not laugh or smile as the third brother joined him but wept for those whom he had left behind. They departed for a new life as equals."'_

Hermione closed the book with a loud thud and Ron nodded sitting up again as she did. It was how he remembered the story. Harry beside him was still looking puzzled but Ron had been lost in the story and had forgotten the reason they read it aloud.

'Well, there you have it,' said Xenophilius prying his gaze from the window like he was waiting for something.

'Sorry?' Harry asked confusion adamant on his face.

'Those are the Deathly Hallows,' said Xenophilius. 'The Elder Wand.' He picked up a quill and parchment from the floor and drew a single straight line in one corner of the page. 'The Resurrection Stone,' he said and added a small circle above the line. 'And the Invisibility Cloak,' he finished drawing a triangle around the two symbols already there. 'Together the Deathly Hallows.'

'But there is no mention of the Deathly Hallows in the story,' Hermione said trying to shake the tone she had used through out the story off.

'Well, of course not,' Xenophilius said. 'It is a children's tale used to amuse rather then instruct. Those of us who understand these matters recognize the actual meaning of the story, to share the knowledge of the Deathly Hallows. If all three Hallows are united it will make the possessor the master of Death.'

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**_Could I ask you to read my other story_ Curiosity _and review it please? I'd like more than two opinions on it, however good those opinions are! If you could that would be really good. Thank you!_ **

**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	13. Help Harry Potter Party HHPP

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**Merry Christmas!**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Thirteen: Help Harry Potter Party (HHPP)**

Ron pulled the cloak off from around his shoulders and threw it at Harry as he grabbrf at the long wisps of grass to stand. He was fuming, his face and ears red from anger and he felt as if he was going to boil over. Bloody Xenophilius bloody Lovegood had called some bloody Death Eaters when they'd all arrived at the house. Ron knew it was because Luna had been taken by the Ministry because Xenophilius supported Harry Potter but Ron still wanted to give the old goat a good thumping.

He heard Hermione stumbling around in circle in the field they had landed in casting spells and protections incase any of the Death Eaters had managed to follow them. While he watched her he felt small, tingling pains in his legs and looked down hoping he hadn't splinched himself a third time. Luckily he hadn't and his legs supported some cuts and there was a rather large rip in his jeans. There was a scrambling beside him and suddenly Harry was sitting next to him clutching the Invisibility cloak. He looked pale and the large bags under his eyes were very noticeable close up.

'Ok, Ron?' Harry asked in a small voice.

'Yeah, what about you?' Ron said and when Harry nodded he felt his anger starting to return again. 'That bloody treacherous git!' he roared standing to his feet and looking for something to throttle. Where was Kreacher when he really needed him?

'Ron,' Hermione said sternly. 'He just wanted his daughter back; he just wanted to see Luna alright! Any of us would have done the same in his situation.'

'But he's supposed to be on Harry's side!' Ron said gesturing madly at Harry and nearly hitting him in the nose. 'He's supposed to be on our side! And he just tried to sell Harry off to the Death Eaters!'

'That's why they took Luna in the first place,' Hermione said stretching out her fingers as though she was trying to regain a sense of calm. As she spoke her voice was less strained, 'He supported Harry, you saw how much of a mess he looked. He just wanted Luna back!'

'What do you think they'll do to him?' Harry asked.

'I hope they don't kill him,' Hermione groaned. 'That's why I let them get a glimpse of you, Harry, so they knew Mr Lovegood wasn't lying.'

'That's brilliant, Hermione, but he would have deserved it,' Ron said honestly, he then tipped his head to one side, confused, 'but why hide me?'

'Because you're supposed to be in bed _dying _of Spattergoit! They kidnapped Luna because her father supported Harry, Ron I just told you that! Imagine what they'll do to your family if they find out you're gallivanting around with us.' Hermione shot him one last glare and went back to her protective charms.

'I'm not gallivanting,' Ron muttered to Harry as he sat down next to him. 'It's much more bloody serious then gallivanting now.'

Harry leaned against him, tired and worn. 'I know,' he muttered.

Hermione had finished putting the spells up and came down and sat opposite them her face stern once more. 'What about Luna?' she asked in an almost nervous tone.

'I reckon she's in Azkaban,' Ron said.

Hermione shut her eyes tightly as if trying to expel any horrid thoughts that entered her mind. 'Will she be … ok?' she asked hoping for some positive, upbeat responses.

'She will,' Harry and strongly shifting against Ron so he sitting up straight and automatically resuming the post of hero with had momentarily passed to Ron during his little spaz about Xenophilius. 'She's tougher than you know,' he told them. 'She's probably teaching the inmates about Nargles and Crumpled-Horned-Snorkack's.'

Ron smiled at this, thinking that was what Luna was doing at this very minute, he couldn't bear to think that anything bad was happening to her and he saw Hermione's lips curl at the edges and she let a little giggle out. 'I hope you're right,' she said, suddenly her face became solemn and sad again. 'I fell so sorry for Xenophilius.'

'I don't,' Ron said. 'He tried to sell us to Death Eaters! If he really supports Harry he shouldn't have done that.'

'I'm not going through this again, Ron,' Hermione said and stood to her feet walking over to where her beaded bag had landed on the grass. She dug inside and pulled out the tent, casting the necessary spells to make it spring up fully made.

They all retreated inside, escaping the cold air outside. Ron set about making them some tea, not much because there was hardly any left. But he got the kettle going and patiently waited for it to boil. He sighed in content as he looked around at the walls; it looked so familiar – like it was home. Inside the musty, cat smelling, kind of nasty tent he felt safe and secure. And after such a narrow escape it felt even more so like home.

When the tea was ready he carried two cups carefully over and he could hear Hermione moaning, 'Oh, why did we go there? It was Godric's Hollow all over again, a complete waste of time! The Deathly Hallows? Honestly! That's such rubbish, although,' she jumped to her feet nearly sending the tea in Ron's hands flying, 'he could have made it all up couldn't he?'

Ron didn't say anything but quietly handed her the tea and gave the other glass to Harry, his face flushed as their fingers brushed together. Ron left his cup abandoned at the sink as he didn't feel like it any more.

'Maybe,' Hermione began again, 'he just wanted to keep us busy until the Death Eaters arrived!'

'I don't think so,' Ron said. 'It's bloody hard making up stuff under pressure; I found that out when the Snatchers cornered me. It was easy pretending to be Stan because I knew a little bit about him. So Xenophilius must know something about the Deathly Hallows because he couldn't have made that all up, not on the spot anyway. I reckon he told us the truth, or what he thinks is the truth just to keep us there. And plus he was wearing the symbol thing at the wedding as well, you said you saw him wearing it.'

'Well, I don't suppose that matters. Maybe he just likes the symbol,' Hermione said. 'Even if he was being honest, I've never heard such a load of rubbish in my entire life!'

'Come on, Hermione!' Ron imploded. 'Both Dumbledore and Grindelwald using the same symbol and then that story, it's more then a coincidence!'

'But the Death Hallows _can not _exist, Ron!'

'Hasn't Harry got what could be one of them?' Ron said. 'And that can exist, the Invisibility Cloak.'

'That story in the book,' Hermione said, 'is about how humans are afraid of death! If staying alive was as simple as hiding under the Cloak, we'd have everything we needed already!'

'I don't know,' Harry said. 'We could definitely do with an Unbeatable Wand.' Ron saw he was staring at the Blackthorn wand in disdain and Hermione made a soft guilty cough like she was warning him that she didn't want the topic brought up again.

'There's no such thing!' Hermione said roughly still staring at the Blackthorn wand sadly.

'But there have been others, you said so! Like the Deathstick – and whatever the others were called.'

'All right,' Hermione said. 'If you want to believe in the Elder Wand that's fine, but what about the "Resurrection Stone",' she gestured with her fingers, adding in the unspoken quotation marks. 'No magic can really raise the dead, you know that.'

'When my wand connected with You-Know-Who's at the graveyard, my parents and Cedric appeared.'

'They weren't really back from the dead,' Hermione said. 'They were like – imitations! – of your parents and Cedric, it's not the same as really bringing someone back.'

Ron groaned, he could see this erupting in a full scale argument as the tempers heated. Both Harry and Hermione were capable of boiling over and exploding, Ron would have joined in the debate at the moment but he had nothing to say and his temper was beginning to settle down as his anger at Xenophilius ebbed.

'But she, that girl in the story, didn't really come back, did she? The story meant to say that once people are truly dead they remain with Death. But she came back and the second brother got to see her, kind of, didn't he? He even lived with her for a while …'

Hermione didn't reply and her face had turned a pale white as she stared at her clenched knuckles. She suddenly glanced at Ron, and he saw that her eyes reflected some kind of deep set emotion. With a snap of realization he understood that it was fear in her hazel eyes.

After that Harry seemed to be on a roll with his own thoughts, spewing out words about how everything fitted in and how Marvolo Gaunt had had the Resurrection Stone. Harry's talk quickly grew into haste babble and Ron was lost as Harry kept jumping to his own conclusions.

He was roused from his thoughts about Harry's talk when something fell to the floor and rolled, glittering, under the chair he sat on. Harry dived to the floor and picked the Snitch up that Dumbledore had left him. He looked like he was completely caught up in the Snitch when he suddenly shouted out loud.

'IT'S IN HERE! I knew it! He left me the ring – it's in the snitch!'

'You – you think?' Ron said feeling surprised and shocked, hitting himself because he'd wished he listened more and paid attention.

'That's what he's after,' Harry said triumphant expression dropping and he looked almost frightened. 'The Elder Wand.'

Ron's high spirited attitude after Harry's outburst now dropped as he realized that You-Know-Who couldn't get the Elder Wand, if he got the Elder Wand … well, they'd be so buggered.

'This is it,' Harry said. 'The Deathly Hallows are real. I've got one – maybe even two -' He held up the Snitch and Ron gazed at it captivated like Harry was.

'- and You-Know-Who is chasing the third. But he doesn't know what it is – he just thinks it's a powerful wand.'

'Harry,' Hermione said. 'I'm sorry but I think you've got this all wrong, completely wrong.'

'Don't you see?' Harry asked her. 'It all _fits!' _

'No, it doesn't, Harry!' Hermione snapped. 'You're just getting carried away. Answer me this, if the Deathly Hallows really existed, why didn't Dumbledore tell you about them? Why didn't he tell you everything there was to know about them, like whoever possessed all three could cheat Death? Surely if You-Know-Who knew about that Dumbledore would see that as a threat towards you and everyone! Why didn't he tell you, Harry?'

'But you said it yourself, Hermione! It's a quest; you've got to find out about them yourself.'

'I only said that to persuade you to come to the Lovegoods'!' she cried in an exasperated tone. 'I didn't really mean it!'

'Dumbledore usually lets me found out things for myself,' Harry said. 'He let me try my strength and take risks, it sounds like the kind of thing he'd do!'

'This isn't a game! This is the real thing. And Dumbledore left you very clear instructions to find and destroy the Horcruxes. That symbol doesn't mean anything, forget the Deathly Hallows …'

'What do you think, Ron?' Harry asked him suddenly and he nearly jumped out of his skin at the mention of his name. Harry was staring at him with a pleading and hopeful expression on his, Ron thought about it.

The bits he had heard kind off made sense, but he had to jadedly agree with Hermione that he thought the first priority was to destroy the Horcruxes but he also knew that Harry _knew _he would follow him wherever he went.

'I guess it makes a little sense … bits of it definitely fit together,' Ron said awkwardly. 'Dumbledore wanted you to find the Horcruxes,' he said and Hermione looked superior but he hastened to add his last point, 'but I don't think that we should forget about the Hallows, Harry,' he finished.

Hermione glared at him, he swore that he could nearly feel the sharp jabs of her eyes piercing him. 'I'll take first watch,' she said harshly stamping past them and to the front of the tent.

Ron and Harry hardly slept that night, not only because of the promise Ron had made to Harry but also because they were trying to figure out the secret of the Snitch and how to open it. They sat in Harry's top bunk this time, talking softly, cautiously leaning back against the canvas of the tent. The snitch was clasped tightly in Harry's hands but when Ron asked to see it again his fingers peeled away and the small shinning wings of the Snitch spread and buzzed though it did not take flight. _I open at the close _… that was all the information Harry had been given about the Snitch, it was all any of them knew about it. But now Harry knew what was inside it, or was sure he did. As they sat pressed close together, Harry tried to get the Snitch to open. He asked in Parseltongue, he pressed his lips to it, he threw it against the wall, cast many a spell at it and even made Ron kiss it. Nothing worked, it wouldn't yield.

Finally they lost interest. It started by Harry shifting their positions, pushing Ron onto his back and climbing over him, his thighs pressing against the side of Ron's stomach. Ron didn't like this, he wanted to be the more dominant one this time. He sat up and shuffled out from under Harry's weight and quickly turned the tides by launching himself on top of Harry who let out a muffled squawk as Ron's mouth covered his in a flash. It was a wet kiss, tongue's everywhere and saliva being exchanged, but it wasn't just a wet kiss, it was a hot kiss. Ron felt the lower part of his body react when Harry squirmed underneath him, he couldn't tell whether his boyfriend was trying to do that to him purposely or if he was shifting so he could attack Ron's mouth more. Ron didn't mind, it was stimulation enough.

Deciding quickly that Harry was wearing far too much clothes for his liking, Ron slid back from Harry's stomach a little so the raven haired boy could sit up. When Harry did sit up, Ron grabbed the base of his jersey and pulled it over his head in a swift movement and taking the shirt underneath with it. Harry's tousled face emerged as Ron threw the jersey plus shirt away to an unknown corner of the tent, Harry's hair was mussed up, strands flying randomly even more then they did normally and his circular glasses were askew. Ron let out a small laugh, sliding back up Harry's legs to adjust the crooked glasses he made sure that he pressed down harder as he ground over Harry's crotch. This action received a short gasp coupled by a very quiet drawn out moan. Wanting to tease Harry, Ron stopped abruptly and reached out to put the out of line glasses back into place on the bridge of the windswept nose.

Surprisingly enough to Ron after he had done this, Harry grabbed his arm as he withdrew it and pulled it back down to his mouth slipping a finger inside. Ron let out a strangled groan saying the only thing that came to mind in a small yowling gasp.

'Did you cast a silencing spell, Harry?'

Harry withdrew Ron's finger from his mouth with a small popping noise, which made Ron groan and moan again. 'Yeah,' he said sitting up and balancing Ron on his lap by placing his hands behind his back. 'I didn't want Hermione to hear, even though she probably can't since she's taking first watch. Help me get this off,' he said and tugged at the sleeve of Ron's shirt, indicating and saying that he wanted it gone.

Obliging, Ron undid the buttons on his shirt and slipped it off his arms showing pale skin dotted with freckles in contrast to Harry's reasonably tanned and freckle-less skin. Harry was running his hands along Ron's arms.

'Cold?' he asked innocently cocking his head to one side with a sweet smile.

'Yeah, bloody freezing,' Ron admitted. He was cold except for one part of his body and it was as if all his heat had been sucked to that particular spot.

Harry pulled him over himself, hugging his arms around Ron's back. It was at that moment that Ron realized with a faint scowl that Harry had regained his normal dominance, not that he cared _that much. _Not letting it bother him that much he lay against Harry and softly began to suck at his neck and gradually licking, nipping and sucking harder and harder, wondering what kind of mark he would leave there. To let Ron know that he was enjoying the sensations, Harry simply arched his head back and let Ron continue with a low purring moan. It wasn't like Harry to make much noise when they did things like this, he saved his volume for the terrifying dreams he had.

It was only when Harry's fingertips brushed against his hardening prick that Ron realized his belt buckle and fly had been assaulted for several minutes, he had been too occupied with running his hands over Harry's chest like soft butterfly kisses and sucking down hard on his neck to notice. Ron released his mouth from Harry and allowed himself whimper loudly when Harry's hand locked down hard around Ron's now stiff erection, this cry of pleasure only made Harry's squeeze tighter and begin to pump his hand.

'N – no, stop,' Ron managed to splutter out. He had something he wanted to do.

'What, why?' Harry asked relinquishing his grip straight away.

'Just hang on,' Ron said and reached down between them, his hand brushing over his own erection by accident until he found the buckle of Harry's pants and loosened the belt he wore. He quickly unzipped the fly and made Harry wiggle his hips until the pants were around his ankles and both stiff tools were free. Slowly, almost at a nervous pace, Ron ground his erection against Harry's who gripped his shoulders in indication that he very much liked this. Feeling encouraged, if not verbally, Ron reached down between their two hard bodies and clasped each of them in one hand, rubbing their erections together, pumping slowly until he picked up speed.

Harry's hands were free as Ron was doing all the work this time, (puffing and panting as he did so) and so the dark haired boy put his hands at the back of Ron's head and basically crushed their lips together into a somewhat painful kiss but thankfully as Ron felt a metallic tang of blood when he unintentionally bit his own tongue, Harry eased off the kiss until it became soft and luscious.

Ron had quickly worked them both into a frenzy and he was the first to come, as he had been the first to grow hard. He let out a high, loud moan and came across Harry's chest some even flaking across his dark nipples. Only letting himself have ten seconds in which to catch his breath, he let go of his own erection and focused on bringing Harry with him. It didn't take long and Harry came barely three minutes after him spurting a short wave of come on Ron's stomach.

The boys were quiet for some time after Ron had used his own wand to do a quick and easy cleaning spell. They were now wrapped up in each others arms on the small bunk listening to the wind battering the walls outside.

'I love you,' Ron whispered into Harry's ear.

'You too,' Harry replied softly leaning across to kiss Ron's cheek.

* * *

Ron had finally managed to crack through to the radio show after spending the end of February and a good week into March attempting too. He sat back in pride, his efforts finally paying off, as Harry and Hermione listening in wrapped attention the talk issuing from the small wireless. Ron listened too, it was talk about people – Hagrid in particular – narrowly missing arrests because they had tired to help Harry in some way. Hagrid had hosted a 'Help Harry Potter' party according to Lupin who went by the code name Romulus. He learnt that the Muggles still had no clue as to what was going on and contributed the disasters occurring to natural events or misfortunate accidents which Ron was thought and knew was a complete load of tripe. The other news was that Xenophilius Lovegood had been captured and stuffed in prison along with another few unnamed supporters.

'Listeners,' the voice of Lee Jordan issued from the wireless, 'that brings us to the end of another _Potterwatch. _We don't know when we'll be able to broadcast again but keep fiddling those dials, the next password will be "Mad-Eye". Keep each other safe. Keep faith. Good night.'

The radio's dials twisted and turned, changed colour many times before the whole thing shut down with a soft _bleep. _Harry wrapped his arm around Ron's shoulder and Ron saw that both he and Hermione were beaming, and then he found that he was also.

'It's brilliant, huh?' Ron asked happily and also happy to hear the twins voices again and knowing that any bad news of his family would be broadcasted immediately because everyone knew the Weasley's were firm supporters of Harry, Ron perhaps the biggest.

'Fantastic,' Harry said and kissed Ron fully on the lips to prove just how _"_fantastic" he thought it.

'It's so brave of them,' Hermione said with a sigh. 'Imagine if they were found …'

'That's why they keep moving,' Ron reminding her. 'Like us.'

'But did you hear what Fred said?' Harry asked ecstatically. 'He's abroad, that means he's looking for the Wand, I knew it!'

'Harry please, -'

'Oh come on, Hermione! Why are you so unwillingly not to admit it, Vol-'

'HARRY, NO!' Ron bellowed shoving him to the ground and trying to keep him quiet but it was too late.

'-demort's after the Elder Wand!'

'The name's Taboo!' Ron shrieked, leaping off Harry. 'I told you, Harry, I told you,' he said pointing his wand threatening at Harry's face as if it would help the situation. 'We've got to put the protection back around us, it's how they find people …' he trailed off horror filling him.

The Sneakoscope on the table and begun to light up, flashing around the room and it was whizzing and making shrilling noises as if it was a kettle left on too long. Over the din of the object, Ron could hear voices coming nearer. His heart hammered in his chest. Voices were so close now. Ron did the only thing he could think of that would help. He pulled the Deluminator from his pocket and clucked it and in an instant all the light was sucked from the room and into the device.

'Come out!' rasped a voice, 'with your hands up too!' it added, 'we know you're in there! You've half a dozen wands pointing at you, and frankly I don't care who I curse! Neither do the rest of the lot with me, so get out here _NOW!' _

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**_Could I ask you to read my other story_ Curiosity _and review it please? I'd like more than two opinions on it, however good those opinions are! If you could that would be really good. Thank you!_ **

**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	14. Torture

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

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**A Consistent Want  
Part Fourteen: Torture**

Ron was pulled to the ground by several pairs of rough and strong hands. They pinned him against the dirt as he tried to struggle and get free to help Hermione who was crying out in pain and fear beside him. He had seen the shaggy hair and gnarled face before and knew it belonged to Fenrir Greyback. He switched his gaze to Harry and saw blurred shapes around him pinning him to the ground as well. Hermione cried out loudly as her hair was pulled when she tried to struggle away. 

'Get – off – her!' Ron shouted as he twisted and turned in the arms of his captives. A fist smashed into the side of his face as he jerked out of their hands, the pain was intense and he grunted and felt blood trickle into his mouth.

'He'll have worst done to him if he's on my list,' Greyback hissed to Hermione in his horrible rasping voice when she yelped as Ron was hit. 'Delicious,' the werewolf spoke again as he stroked the skin of Hermione's cheek with his yellow bitten fingernails, 'I do love soft skin ... what a treat.'

'Search the tent!' Another person gave out this order as Ron was thrown face down into the dirt away from the tent. He felt a pressure on the small of his back and when he tried to squirm away into the tall grass of the field the pressure grew stronger. Someone had their boot against his back, preventing his escape.

A dull thud and a puff of dry dirt signalled the presence of Harry being thrown down next to him. In the dim wand light Ron could just make out his teary, bloody and bruised face. Harry's eyes were closed tightly as stamping and crashing and some bouts of laughter could be heard from inside the tent. Ron groped around next to him and found Harry's hand, he quickly clasped it in his and squeezed reassuringly. Though it did nothing to help himself, Ron was completely scared out of his mind and right now wished he could lay hands on his wand and get them all out of there.

'Now, let's see who we've got,' Greyback said in a gloating tone and he lifted up Harry's head by his hair and shone a light into his face which was blinding even from where Ron lay. 'I'll be needing a whisky to wash this one down, what happened to you, ugly?' Greyback asked Harry in a gloating tone.

Ron must have let out something close to a low growl because Greyback looked at him with pale eyes and then saw his and Harry's intertwined hands. The werewolf scoffed and spat on their hands.

'Disgusting,' he muttered as he pulled a list out of his pocket. 'Name?' he said nudging Harry's cheek with his foot. 'What's your name?' he growled when Harry didn't answer straight away.

'Dudley,' Harry said. 'Vernon Dudley.'

'Check the list, Scabior,' Greyback said throwing the parchment towards the man pressing Hermione down with his foot. 'What about you, ginger?' he asked Ron after a long morbid look at his and Harry's still joined hands.

'Stan Shunpike,' he said with a stutter. He hoped he had said it convincingly because it was the first name that had come to mind and he couldn't retract it now it had been said.

'Liar,' Greyback hissed and kicked his face. Ron cried out in pain and moaned when the blood began to poor from his now split lip. 'What's you _real _name?' he asked. 'If you lie again, I'll hurt your friends here.'

'Barney Weasley,' Ron said after he spat out a mouthful of blood, 'Barney Weasley.'

'A Weasley?' rasped Greyback. 'What fun, a blood traitor. That's even worse than Muggle scum. But lastly, your pretty friend here ...' Ron shuddered as he heard the delight in Greyback's voice. 'Let's see if she can remember her name quicker than the two ladies.'

'Penelope Clearwater,' Hermione said, briskly and sure of herself. Ron knew they would buy it. It was an extremely convincing reply.

'Blood status?'

'Half-blood.'

'That'll be easy enough to check,' Scabior said. 'The lot of them look to be Hogwarts age.'

'We lebt,' Ron said the tangy taste of blood in his mouth making him want to throw up.

'Left did ya? Went camping and decided to use the Dark Lord's name for a bit of fun, did ya, ginger?'

'Nod fun,' he said. 'Aggident.'

'Accident, was it?' Greyback said throwing his head back and laughing revealing abnormally pointy teeth. 'You know who likes to use the Dark Lord's name, Weasley? The Order of the Phoenix, mean anything to you?'

Ron tried to relax himself and look as though he was about to give an ordinary answer but his nerves got in the way and he was certain they'd know he was lying and carry out the previous threat. 'Doh,' he said shaking his head.

'Well, they don't show the Dark Lord the respects he deserves, some of them have been caught, just like you three here. We'll see. Bind them up with the others,' Greyback shouted and his order was hurried to be obeyed. It seemed like the rest of the group were as afraid of him as they were.

Ron was yanked up by his hair and dragged a few feet forward where he was pushed into a sitting position and tied to the backs of other people. When the man who had tied him, Harry and Hermione, Harry whispered,

'Anyone still got a wand?'

'No,' Ron said and his answer was echoed by Hermione from the left of him.

'It's all my fault, I'm sorry, I said the name - '

'_Harry?' _It was a new voice and it came directly from Hermione's left. Ron knew the voice, it belonged to Dean.

'_Dean?' _Harry asked in shock.

'It's you! If they find out it's you – Harry, they're only Snatchers looking for truants, they just want gold!'

'Not a bad haul for one night,' Greyback said as he came back to their group and stood on Ron's toes not caring. 'A Mudblood, a runaway goblin and three truants. You checked the names on that list yet, Scabior?' he roared.

'Yeah, and there ain't a Dudley on here.'

'Interesting,' Greyback said squatting down in front of Harry. Ron could smell his foul breathe from where he was tied. 'Interesting. So, you aren't wanted then Vernon? Or are you under a different name on that list? What house were you in at Hogwarts?'

'Slytherin,' Harry said.

'Funny how they all think we want to hear that,' Scabior chuckled from behind the list. 'But none of them can tell us where the common room is.'

'It's in the Dungeons,' Harry said. 'You enter through the wall. It's full of skulls and stuff and it's under the lake so everything is all green.'

There was a short pause during which, Ron held his breath.

'Looks like we really have caught a little Slytherin,' Scabior said. 'Good for ya, Vernon, there ain't a lot of Mudblood Slytherins. Who's your father, Vernon?'

'He works for the Ministry,' Harry said. 'Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.'

'You know what, Greyback?' Scabior said. 'I think there might really be a Dudley in there.'

Ron was amazed as he spat out another mouthful of blood. Could they really be so lucky? Well, could Harry really be so lucky? He might be able to get out of this. Ron wouldn't, he was a Weasley and they seemed interested in that and Hermione had said she was a Half-blood which would need to be checked properly.

'Well, well,' said Greyback as he stood up from where he had been squatting. 'Looks like you haven't got anything to worry about from a trip to the Ministry, your father might even reward us for bringing his boy back, no matter how ugly he is.'

'Hey!' the cry came from inside the tent. 'Look at this Greyback!' A man came out of the tent carrying the Sword of Gryffindor. Ron choked on the blood in his mouth as horror swept through him.

'Very nice!' Greyback said approvingly. 'Very nice indeed, looks to be Goblin made. Where'd you get something like this?'

'It's my father's,' Harry said. 'We borrowed it to cut, firewood.' Ron was sure Hermione would smack Harry for that comment when they got out of this. Who cut firewood with a sword that grand?

'Hang on,' Scabior said. 'Look at this, in the Prophet, look here Greyback!'

Greyback hurried over to Scabior with the sword still tight in hand as if he thought it to be his prize.

'_Hermione Granger,' _Scabior said and Ron looked over at Hermione with fear. Hermione's eyes widened and she mouthed for him to look away and act natural. How could he bloody act naturally at a time like this?

'_Hermione Granger, the Mudblood known to be travelling with Harry Potter,' _Scabior said and looked to Hermione. 'You know what, girly? This looks a hell of a lot like ya.'

'It isn't me, it isn't me!' Hermione squealed when Greyback knelt before and stroked her curls. Ron groaned. Hermione's squeak may have been a confession.

'_... Known to be travelling with Harry Potter,' _Greyback repeated.

A horrific stillness had settled over the scene as Greyback stared at Hermione with rapt attention and Ron tried not to give anything away with his eyes and Harry looked as though he was struggling a great deal to keep emotions under wrap.

'This changes things, doesn't it?' Greyback whispered to his captives. 'What's that on your forehead, Vernon?' Greyback asked Harry in almost a mocking tone.

Harry groaned as Greyback pressed a finger to his scar. 'Don't touch it!' he screamed.

'I thought you wore glasses, Potter?' Greyback asked trying to look serious and not excited from his discovery.

'I found glasses!' the person who had found the sword yelled. 'In the tent! I found glasses.'

In a few seconds, Harry's glasses had been rammed back into his face and the Snatcher's were crowding around him staring at him.

'It is!' Greyback yelled and the Snatcher's around him erupted into joyful calls. 'We found Potter!'

Ron stared from Harry to Greyback and the group discussing his fate. He held his breath when he heard snippets of the conversation.

'... the Ministry?'

'To hell with the Ministry,' Greyback snapped. 'They'll get the credit, and we won't get a Knut. We'll take him straight to You-Know-Who.'

'Will you summon him here?' Scabior asked looking terrified.

'No,' Greyback said. 'I've heard they're using the Malfoy Manor as a base, we'll take him there. NOW!' he roared and the Snatcher's jumped to, grabbing the prisoners. Ron felt a tight, painful grip on his forearm and heard Greyback organizing others.

'I'll take Potter, you there, grab the sword, right? On three! One – two – three!'

They Disapparated, Ron pressed tightly the person holding his arm and Hermione's back. He tried to struggle away but the grip on his arm only increased and the many rings the person was wearing dug into his arm. Ron lurched into Hermione as they landed.

They were in a country lane. A pair of wrought iron gates were at the end of a long drive way. One of the Snatchers ran forward and shook the gates which clanged but would not open.

'They are locked!' he yelled back to Greyback.

Suddenly a deep, frightful voice rang out around them and the speaker could not be identified. 'State your purpose!'

'We've got Potter!' Greyback yelled triumphantly. 'We've got Potter! Let us in, we've got Potter!'

The gates swung open and they were pushed and prodded through him. Through the wrought gates, up the path surrounded by bushes that secluded the house and muffled their steps they walked and they finally reached the house. The front door was all Ron could see since whenever he moved his head the Snatcher holding him thrust it back down and pulled at his hair. The front door was large and grand, and a serpentine knocker was laid in the centre. But standing to one side was woman with long blonde hair and Ron knew her to be Narcissa Malfoy. Her hand was on the door handle as if people might be standing behind it to come to her rescue and her other pale white hand was clutching her wand that was pointed straight at Greyback's nose.

'What is this?' she asked in a cold voice, looking at the dirty group with disgust and scorn.

'We're here to see He Who Must Not Be Named!' rasped Greyback clutching Harry's hair tightly.

'Who are you?' Narcissa Malfoy asked.

'You know me!' Greyback said like he was embarrassed by the question. 'Fenrir Greyback, most loyal servant to the Dark Lord.'

Narcissa looked at Greyback and coughed, dislike and disbelief in her porcelain face.

'We've caught Harry Potter!' Greyback continued. He seized Harry and pushed him to the front so that Ron was now unable to see the Malfoy and the doorway.

'I know he's all dirty and bruised, ma'am,' Scabior said politely. 'But it is him! If ya look a bit closer, you'll see his scar and all! And the girl here, ma'am, it's the Mudblood that's been travelling around with him. And we got a Blood traitor, we got a Weasley! We have Potter's wand as well, ma'am,' Scabior said and thrust the Blackthorn wand into the hand of Narcissa.

'Bring them in,' she said.

Ron and the others were shoved in through the doorway and into an entrance hall with a large chandelier in the centre of the ceiling and the walls were covered with portraits of pervious Malfoy's who all bore the same scrutinising expression. The pictures were obviously not content to have dirt trampled through their halls.

'Follow me,' Narcissa said and led them down a corridor decorated with more paintings. 'My son, Draco, is home for the holidays. If this is Harry Potter, he will know.'

She led them into a large drawing room with another even grander chandelier that seemed to sprinkle jewels down to the floor. The purple walls that stood at the sides of the massive room were adorned with even more portraits. Two high backed chairs were around a blazing fire place and as the Snatchers thrust Ron and the others into the room, two figures rose from that chair and turned to face them.

'What is this?'

The dreadfully droning voice of Lucius Malfoy filled Ron's ears, and he was thrust away from the sight as Harry was pushed forwards.

'They say they have Potter,' Narcissa told him. 'Draco, come here.'

Ron heard the soft fall of feet as Draco approached his mother, he could not see the expression on Draco's face as he was forced to look at Harry and possibly decide his fate.

'Well, boy,' Greyback asked. 'Is it?'

From a reflection in a mirror, Ron could see Harry. Harry's face was cut and bruised from the assault by the Snatchers and his black hair reached his shoulders; there was a dark shadowy bruise around his jaw. At first glance Ron wouldn't have known it was Harry. Ron would have wondered how this person had gotten Harry's glasses.

'Well, Draco?' Lucius asked, and in the reflection from the mirror Ron saw Draco stumbling forward towards Harry like he had been pushed gently. 'Is it Potter?'

'I can't tell,' Draco muttered sounding strained.

'But look at him closely, look at him carefully!'

'Draco, if we are the ones to hand Potter to the Dark Lord, everything will be forgiven, everything forgotten,' the voice of Narcissa spoke softly to her son. 'The Mudblood,' she asked Greyback. 'You said she was with him?'

The group was turned around again, now so that Hermione and Ron faced the front. Ron could see Draco's face but it was unreadable and blank yet Ron had never seen Lucius look so excited before.

'Wait,' Narcissa said. 'Yes, that is her! The Granger girl! She was in Madam Malkin's with Potter. I saw her picture in the Prophet. Draco, look! Isn't it the Granger girl?'

'I – maybe – yes,' Draco stuttered and then finally giving in.

'But then, that's the Weasley boy!' Lucius said striding forward to prod Ron in the face with his cane. 'It's them. It's Arthur Weasley's son – what's his name, Draco?'

'Yeah,' Draco said and turned away from the prisoners. 'Yeah, it could be.'

The drawing room door opened and footsteps came forward, Ron could not see who it was but when the voice spoke, he froze, fear pounding at him.

'Cissy?' the high and shrill voice that belonged to Bellatrix Lestrange asked, 'What is this?'

Bellatrix Lestrange walked in a circle around the prisoners, she stopped at Hermione. 'Is this the Mudblood?' she said. 'This is Granger?'

'Yes, yes, it is Granger!' Lucius said. 'And beside her we think Potter and Weasley!'

'Potter?' Bellatrix shrieked. 'Potter, Harry Potter?! The Dark Lord must be informed at once.' She drew up her sleeve and Ron could see the Dark Mark writhing on her arm.

'I was about to call him,' Lucius said his hand closing about her wrist. 'I shall summon him, Bellatrix. This is my household and the Potter boy has been brought here, it is my authority.'

'Your authority?' Bellatrix shrieked in her high, nasal voice. 'You lost your authority when you lost your wand. How dare you? Take your hands off me!'

'This is nothing to do with you; you did not capture the boy!'

'Begging your pardon, Mr Malfoy,' Greyback spoke rudely but not letting the scorn in his voice shone right through. 'It was us that caught the boy, and it's us that'll be claiming the boy.'

'Gold!' Bellatrix asked with laughter. 'I do not want gold! All I want is the praise of the Lord! Take your gold, filthy scrounger, I do not want gold!'

She stopped speaking and staring at something a Snatcher was holding; Ron could only just see the gleam of the Sword of Gryffindor out of the corner of his eye. But there was a flurry before him and Lucius had ripped open his sleeve, his fingers poised over the mark.

'DON'T!' Bellatrix yelled. 'Do not touch it; we shall all die if he comes now.' Bellatrix strode out Ron's vision and Lucius' eyes followed her, his hand stayed over the mark.

'What is it?' she said.

'A sword, miss,' a Snatcher replied.

'Give it to me.'

'No, missus, I don't think so. I found it, it's rightfully mine.'

There was a bang and a blinding flash of light and Ron knew Bellatrix had stunned the Snatcher and seized the sword. A yelp of anger came from the other Snatchers and Ron heard Scabior rustling around in his cloak for what must be his wand.

Bellatrix had stunned them all, they were no match for her. Ron had heard of what she had done and who had died perilously at her hand. He could not see but he heard the grunt of Greyback.

'Where did you get this?' Bellatrix asked in a breathless hiss.

'In their tent!'

'It was sent to my vault in Gringotts by Snape!' Bellatrix roared. She calmed a little when Greyback demanded to be released saying that it had been in their tent.

'Draco,' she said. 'Move this scum outside.' She indicated towards the men she had stunned.

'Later, Bella!' Narcissa said.

'Cissy, we have a very serious problem!' Bellatrix screamed. 'If this is indeed Potter, he must not be harmed. The Dark Lord wishes to dispose of him himself.' She turned to her sister again. 'The prisoners will be moved to the cellar, while I think of what to do.'

'You will not give orders in my house!' Lucius roared.

'Do it!' Bellatrix yelled at them. 'You have no idea how serious this is, what danger we are in!'

Narcissa spoke after a moment of silence and hissing noise and smell of smoke. 'Greyback, take them down to the cellar.'

'Wait,' Bellatrix said harshly. 'Except for the Mudblood.'

Greyback paused and seemed to be thinking about something. 'If I may make a suggestion,' he said awkwardly.

'Make it quick wolf!' Bellatrix snapped. 'We must question the Mudblood.'

'If you want to hurt Potter without harming him, take the Weasley, question him,' Greyback said.

'Why?'

'He and the Potter seem to be ...' Greyback stopped unsure of what to say.

'Involved,' Draco said and Ron turned to look at him. Draco was standing in front of him his face red and his eyes frightened. 'They are together,' he said again. 'I heard about it last year at school, I've seen them,' he added.

'But he's Pureblood,' Narcissa said.

'What does that matter?' Lucius snapped. 'He's a blood traitor, that's worse than Muggle filth.'

'Take the Weasley for questioning!' Bellatrix said. 'Let Potter feel pain without torture.'

Ron was cut away from the group and thrown to the ground shaking in fear. Bellatrix had ordered Greyback to take the remaining lot down to the cellar and hold them there. They door of the drawing room slammed shut as they left and Ron caught a fleeting glimpse of Harry as he struggling in his bonds to look at him. There was fear and horror in Harry's eyes and Ron was sure the same look was reflected in his also.

Narcissa grabbed her sister's arm when she began advancing on Ron her wand drawn and her face bright red with anger. 'Bella, we shouldn't do this! Bring the Mudblood back up!'

'Like Lucius said,' she snapped wrenching her arm away from Narcissa. 'He's worse than Muggle's.'

'Now Weasley tell me,' Bellatrix said speaking in a baby voice as she advanced. When she was barely a foot away from him she crouched down and pressed her wand to his neck. 'Tell me,' she hissed.

'Tell you what?' Ron asked wide eyed as he looked down at the wand pressing to his neck. He was sure they'd kill him, he was certain he was going to die.

'You know very well what!' Bellatrix screamed and whirled away, the end of her cloak smacking him in the face as she stood. Her wand was still pointed directly at his face and the Malfoy's all had their wands out ready, but Ron saw that Draco's wand was shaking in his grasp.

A bolt of light hit him squarely in the chest and Ron fell backwards screaming loudly from the pain, he bit his lip down as he saw Lucius standing behind him and smiling. He must not scream. Bellatrix liked to torture so she'd like to hear his pain. He must not scream. He hung his head as she approached again and sat up, staggering to his feet.

'Aw,' Bellatrix cooed. 'The weasel is trying to be brave like his darling Potter. Did he teach you to be strong, boy? Did he say he'd save you? Pathetic, disgusting, that's what you are. Pathetic to believe in him and a disgusting blood traitor!' she screamed out the last sentence as she cast another spell at his chest.

He fell backwards again, hitting the floor hard and looked up to see Lucius' face. Grunting, and biting his lip harder cracking open the half sealed cut and blood poured into his mouth and down his chin, he stood, staggering under pain from the curse. He must not scream.

'Are you going to tell me?' she asked her eyes glinting dangerously as she readjusted her grip on her wand. 'ARE YOU GOING TO TELL ME?' she roared.

Ron didn't know what to say, she could be talking about anything. But his eyes fell on the sword resting at her feet.

'Tell me!' she said through clenched teeth. 'Where did you get it?' She jabbed out with her wand, taunting him.

Ron jumped back from the wand and Lucius and Narcissa laughed at him and sniggered when he shook his head, blood dripping from his split lip.

'Where did you get it, traitor?' Bellatrix asked as she stepped over the sword and advanced upon him again. 'Not going to tell me, weasel?' she asked pretending to look sad but her eyes shone and she shouted at him, 'that's fine, CRUCIO!'

Ron fell the floor, pain swamped through his body. His back arched as Bellatrix danced about him enjoying this. He writhed on the floor, sharp pains flying through him, he screamed. He opened his mouth wide and screamed.

'Where did you get this sword, where!?'

'We found it!' Ron bit the words out. 'We found it!'

'Where did you find it?'

Ron screamed again as she jabbed her wand towards him sending a shock of pain through his spine. He arched his back up and fell on his stomach twisting in the air. His face was directly by Lucius' feet now and the man pushed his face with his foot so he had to face the oncoming storm of Bellatrix.

He was panting and the pain running through made him feel like he would die at any second. It was that strong. 'We found it!'

'You got it from my vault, didn't you, traitor!' Bellatrix yelled at him. 'DIDN'T YOU! You've been inside my vault at Gringotts. Tell me the truth, _tell me the truth!' _

She twirled her wand in a flourish and Ron screamed again when the pain moved from his spine to his chest. 'No,' he gasped out. 'We – haven't,' he panted, 'been – to – Gringotts.'

'LIAR!'

Another bolt of terrible pain. Another long drawn out scream.

'What else did you take? What else do you have? Tell me the truth, or I swear, I will run this knife through you and give Potter bound and naked to the Dark Lord, I swear it! NOW, TELL ME THE TRUTH!'

'N – nothing, we didn't – take – anything,' he managed to get the words out barely.

'What else did you take? ANSWER, TRAITOR! CRUCIO!'

Ron screamed and he could faintly hear them echoing around the room as he slouched to the floor, unable to sit up any longer. The pain that was searing through his body hadn't ebbed and his screaming had gotten louder and louder until finally he could scream no more and twisted so he lay on his back. He didn't want to see the four pale faces staring down at him.

'How did you get in my vault?' Bellatrix screamed, 'did that dirty, foul Goblin in the cellar help you?'

'We only met him today,' Ron said using the last of his strength to tell her this. 'We never went in your vault, that isn't the real sword. Just a copy!' He moaned as another bolt of pain shot along his spinal cord.

'A copy!' shrieked Bellatrix, 'likely story, Weasley! Did Potter tell you to say that? Did the Mudblood help you get it?!'

'We can find out easily,' Lucius said his voice ringing in Ron's ears as he spoke above Bellatrix's screams. 'Draco, fetch the Goblin! He can tell us if the sword is real or not.'

This gave Ron a pain free moment; Bellatrix had withdrawn the curse and was now talking in a hushed but angry whisper to Narcissa. Ron could see spit flying from her mouth as she talked to her sister. From his distance Ron couldn't see or hear what Narcissa was saying but from her body language it looked like she might be telling Bellatrix to stop.

Suddenly, Bellatrix pushed her sister away from her and strode over to where Ron was lying on the carpet. She pushed her wand into his cheek, and hissed, 'think Potter was going to come and save you?' she asked with a shrill laugh. 'Pathetic, he'd never come and save you! You're pathetic and disgusting. A pathetic weasel and a disgusting traitor!'

She rose and walked away before pointing her wand back at him. Ron groaned when the pain hit him, he bit back a scream but as the pain got more intense he couldn't help it. He opened his mouth and screamed.

Thankfully in a few minutes the door opened and Draco strode in dragging the Goblin, Griphook in his wake. He left the Goblin in front of Bellatrix and hurried over to stand beside his mother.

'Here, Goblin,' Bellatrix said bending down and picking up the sword, 'is this real?' she asked and threw it at the feet of the Goblin.

Griphook stared the sword for a long time, allowing Ron some painless moments as Bellatrix attention wasn't on hurting him, just watching the Goblin. When Ron groaned somewhat as he moved his hand and it stung, Bellatrix kicked him in the stomach, making him be quiet.

'Well, Goblin?' she asked. 'Is it real?'

'No,' Griphook said after some time. 'It is a fake.'

'Are you sure?' Bellatrix wanted know. 'Are you certain?'

'Yes,' the Goblin said.

Ron looked up at Bellatrix from where he lay and he saw relief flutter across her face. 'Good,' she said. 'Now we will call the Dark Lord!' She pushed her sleeve up and touched her finger to the mark there.

'And I think,' Bellatrix added. 'We can get rid of the boy. Greyback, do what you wish.'

Ron was terrified, he could not move as the monster approached him. But suddenly, Harry burst into the room shouting and Hermione was following him looking terrified and drawn.

'The Mudblood!' Greyback shouted. 'Please, ma'am, leave her for me?'

Bellatrix nodded and turned her wand towards as he raced towards them. 'Are you watching, Weasley?' she asked her eyes trailing Harry.

'_Expelliarmus!' _Harry shouted and Bellatrix's wand flew from her hand and he caught it throwing it to Hermione.

Bellatrix darted behind a couch dragging Ron by the hair with her. He heard the distinct drawing of a knife and felt cold metal pressed to his neck. 'Let's see what your lover-boy thinks of this,' she hissed and pulled them out from the safety of the couch.

'STOP,' she boomed, 'OR HE DIES!'

Ron couldn't see what was happening because his vision was clouding as he felt the knife pressing into his neck and Bellatrix's hand closing around it as well.

'I said drop them!' she screeched. 'Good,' she hissed. To Ron her voice was getting fainter and fainter. 'Draco, pick them up! The Dark Lord is coming, Harry Potter. Your death approaches, and so does the traitor's.'

As Bellatrix stood her knee collided with Ron's head and he knew no more of what happened. He was completely engulfed in darkness.

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**_Could I ask you to read my other story_ Curiosity _and review it please? I'd like more than two opinions on it, however good those opinions are! If you could that would be really good. Thank you!_ **

**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	15. Creatures

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Fifteen: Creatures**

When Ron awoke again all he was aware of was a dull throbbing throughout his entire body, he groaned remembering the extent of the pain Bellatrix had put him through. But he hadn't given in, he hadn't told her the sword was real and where they had really got it from. He blinked his eyes when he realized he couldn't see anything, he groped at his face but found it was just a damp cloth resting over his eyes. He sighed in relief, for a frightening moment he had thought something different.

'Ron!' That was Hermione's voice and her hand shaking his shoulder.

'Stop it Hermione.' Ron recognized it to be Dean. 'Let's see if he's awake,' Dean and said and peeled the damp towel from his forehead.

The light in the room had been dulled and he saw with relief that beyond the four faces looking down at him with concern that they were in Shell Cottage. How he had gotten there he didn't know. That would be a question for later. He looked up at the faces staring back at him. Hermione; hair extra bushy and her face paler than a ghost's, Dean; dark face unharmed but dirty and unwashed, Luna; bright eyed and smiling, her blonde hair falling against his chest as she peered into his eyes, and Fleur; standing back from the others wearing a white apron and her golden hair plastered to her forehead, but still as lovely as ever. They all looked fine, no one looked badly injured or hurt and they all had their limbs. But there was someone missing from his bedside.

'Where's Harry?' he croaked trying to sit up in the bed to see if Harry was in the room. But Dean pushed him back down against the fluffed up pillows.

'He's outside,' Hermione said. 'He's ok, Ron, he's fine, we all are.' She looked ashamed of herself and then said softly to him, 'you were so great, Ron. I can't believe you didn't tell her when she was ... you were great, Ron.'

''Ow are you feeling?' Fleur asked him stepping forward to the foot of the bed looking very matron and saint like as she held a potion in her hand.

'Fine,' Ron said ignoring the throbbing pains. 'But why is Harry outside?'

'Dobby died,' Luna said sadly and looked out the window, sighing, 'he was such a good elf.'

'Dobby, the house elf?' Ron asked confused. 'Dobby wasn't there!'

'Ok,' Hermione said shakily. 'I'll tell you what happened,' she cleared her throat. 'When Bellatrix, when she ... when she ... she, when ... never mind! You know what happened then, but we were taken down to the cellar and Luna and Ollivander were already there. Luna had a nail and she cut Dean, Harry, Griphook and myself out from the ropes. Draco came and took Griphook up about the sword and then the Snitch that Dumbledore gave Harry, well he said he asked it for help and then Dobby arrived -'

'Dobby Disapparated away with me, Dean and Mr Ollivander,' Luna said straying away from the window and looking across fondly at Dean. 'Harry asked him to.'

'Then they heard Dobby Disapparate and sent Wormtail down to check. Harry and I tackled him and then well, it was horrible, Wormtail strangled himself after we got his wand,' she paused and took a breath like that memory forced her calm herself down again. 'Then Harry and I left the cell and came to find you in the drawing room again. Bellatrix was asking Griphook about the sword and she was about to give you to Greyback when Harry lost it and ran into the room -'

Ron stopped her here, he knew this part. 'I know, I was conscious then that happened.'

'Merlin, Ron,' Hermione moaned. 'You looked like you were dead, but your eyes were still open, I thought you were dead.'

'I was awake,' Ron told her, 'what happened next? Bellatrix kneed me in the head, I got knocked out so I didn't see.'

'Well the chandelier fell on top of Griphook and Lucius and Bellatrix got really angry and she -' Hermione pointed to his neck and drew a finger along a small but long cut that traced around the right side of his neck. 'She did that and Harry went completely mad, stupefied Bellatrix and then he took my wand and stupefied Greyback with three wands. Dobby came then, and I got you pulled you over to Griphook and then once Harry was there Dobby Disapparated with us. But Bellatrix, she stabbed Dobby with the knife before he left.' She shuddered and covered her eyes with a pale stained with what looked like blood hand.

'I'm going outside,' said Dean suddenly and looked at Luna, 'want to come?' he asked a little shyly. Luna nodded and Dean smiled widely as they left the room together. He and Hermione were silent for a few minutes before Ron twisted in the bed to look out the window behind him.

He could see Harry talking to Dean and Luna as they approached. Harry was holding a spade in one hand and even from such a distance he looked very drawn and upset. Not thinking twice, Ron eased himself from the bed and found he was still wearing his torn clothes. He stepped towards the door on wobbly legs - that was all - he felt barely any pain now. As he walked won the stairs and out the front door with Hermione and Fleur flanking him, he noticed Mr Ollivander sitting in a chair beside the door, his knees curled up to his chest.

Outside in the dark cold night it was freezing and Fleur told them to wait outside as she raced back into the house and came out with a blanket for Ron to wear as he was just dressed in a ragged tee shirt and jeans. She nodded and Ron walked forward next to Hermione only feeling pain when he moved the upper part of his body, his legs were fine. Hermione kept looking over at him anxiously when they neared the makeshift grave. Ron wasn't worried about falling over or fainting, he was worried about Harry.

Ron stood by the tree next to the grave and saw that it had been made by hand, and Harry, Dean and Luna all held spades in their hands and were covered in a dusty dirt. A small body was lying beside Harry as he took one last shovel full of the grave. Harry didn't look at him and if he had seen him didn't acknowledge Ron's presence as he turned around to pick up the small elf.

'He did ask how you were,' Luna said to him when she jumped out of the grave and hurried to stand next to him. 'He did ask.' She nodded to herself and looked back towards the grave, sorrow in her huge eyes. Ron watched her as she opened and closed her mouth before finally deciding to speak. 'I think we ought to say something,' Luna said. 'I'll go first, shall I?'

When Harry didn't object she shuffled forward in the too large for her coat and stood beside the grave. 'Thank you for saving us, Dobby. You were so brave and good, it was unfair that you had to die. I will always remember what you did for us. I hope you're happy now.'

She turned around and looked expectantly at Dean who cleared his throat and stepped forward too. 'Thanks, Dobby. I mean it; seriously, I won't forget what you did either.'

'Thank you, Dobby,' Hermione said straight after Dean. 'You were the best elf, stood up for yourself. I will not forget what you did for us today.'

Ron muttered a small thank-you which was muffled as Bill pushed the blanket he was wearing around his head.

They all looked towards Harry, waiting for what he had to say. But for a while he stood rigid staring at the small lifeless elf in the grave wearing a pair of dirty socks and a woollen hat that Ron vaguely remembered Dean wearing before. Harry knelt down next to the grave and dropped the spade behind him and whispering something none of them could hear. As he stood he said in an audibly voice, 'Goodbye, Dobby.' It seemed all that Harry could muster but Luna had also said a lot and covered most of it.

Bill waved his wand and the three different piles of dirt rose up into the air and softly patted down over the body of the elf, covering him up forever.

'Do you mind if I stay for a while?' Harry asked still staring languidly at the grave.

Bill and Fleur were the first to leave, turning their backs as soon as Harry asked them and they walked back to the cottage hand in hand. Dean and Luna left next, but only after Luna and pressed her fingers to her lips and then pressed those fingers to the mound of dirt. Ron stayed a while, leaning against the tree and staring at Harry who still didn't seem to acknowledge his presence. Shortly Hermione tugged on the blanket around him and led him away towards the warmth of the house.

'Ron,' Bill said as he entered the house. The others were all sitting on the couches in the living room obviously waiting for him to come in. 'I don't care that you or Hermione don't want to tell me what happened but I'm getting mum and dad out of the house and Ginny.'

'What, why have you?' Ron asked sinking into the closet empty chair.

'Because the Death Eater's know you're with Harry so they'll target the family now. It was only a matter of time, Ron,' Bill told him seriously. 'Dad kept saying so, we're the biggest blood traitor family out there, it was only a matter of time before they came looking for us. They are all at Aunt Muriel's.'

Ron cringed. He'd always known that many of the Pureblood families detested blood traitors and thought them next to Muggle's but now he bore the scars to prove what they thought. Ron looked down at his hands and fingered the thin scab along his neck.

'Merlin, Ron!' Bill snapped after a long drawn out silence. 'Why won't you tell me what happened? You look like you've been tortured!'

Ron didn't say anything and Hermione gave it away by coughing nervously. He decided not to aggravate Bill further and just say what had happened. 'Bellatrix,' he said in a quiet voice. 'Because I'm a blood traitor and for information,' he added.

'Merlin, did she actually ...?'

'Yes,' Hermione squeaked and Luna and Dean nodded. 'We heard.'

' ... Thankfully Ginny was on holiday,' Bill said after a long drawn out look at Ron. 'If she was at Hogwarts they could have easily taken her and done the same to her. Now she's safe too.'

The sound of the door softly slamming announced Harry entrance into the room. Harry stood awkwardly in the door way as all eyes turned to stare at him; Ron smiled and hugged the blanket closer around himself. Harry then turned to Ron and said,

'Can I talk to you, privately?' he added when Luna looked like she was getting comfortable in her seat again.

Ron stood, blanket and all, and walked towards Harry who opened the door and they walked outside together. Harry walked with his hand on Ron's back towards the grave of Dobby and there they stopped. Ron leant against the tree and Harry took another long look at the earth before he turned to Ron.

'Are you ok?' he asked.

'I'm fine,' Ron said quietly. 'How are you, you didn't get hurt did you?'

'Barely,' Harry said and then clasped Ron's arms firmly. 'I was so scared!' he said the words erupting from his mouth, 'you should have heard your screaming! It was horrible, I couldn't think of anything but getting out and killing her.' He sounded angry now. 'It was so terrible! I am going to find her and kill, I swear!'

'Harry, calm down,' Ron said grabbing his arms as well. 'I'm all right! I'm fine, really.'

'But look, Ron!' Harry yelled and pulled a hand away and touched the scar on Ron's neck. 'Look what she did; she would have killed you if the chandelier hadn't fallen at the right time! She would have killed you!'

'You can't go looking for her!' Ron said back unable to match Harry's volume because his throat was so dry from screaming. 'You'll get yourself killed.'

'I don't care,' Harry hissed. 'She hurt you and I'm going to die anyway, so why don't I speed it along by finding her?!'

'Harry!' Ron yelled ignoring the dryness of his throat and digging his fingernails into Harry's arm as he gripped it. 'Don't be stupid! If you go looking for her, I'm following you! And you can't go anyway!' he added in a rush. 'You've got to finish looking for the Hallows and the Horcruxes, remember?'

Harry let go of Ron's arms but Ron still held tightly on to his, the angry, taut expression on Harry's face dropped and nodded. 'You're right, Ron. I'm sorry; I was just really scared for you.'

'It's ok, Harry,' Ron said pulling him close and opening the blanket and hugging Harry to his chest. 'I was so glad you came back, I didn't think you would.' He felt Harry tighten the hug and wrap his arms around his back.

'Of course I came back,' Harry said into his ear. 'I love you, Ron, I wouldn't leave you.'

'I love you too, Harry,' Ron said.

Harry kissed him, pulling his head down so that it was level with his. Ron was already leaning against the tree so when Harry kissed he was pushed back harder against the trunk. He felt his knees buckling under the pressure of the kiss and because of how exhausted he was. His knees gave out and he was lucky that Harry was holding him in place or he would have definitely fallen over.

'Come on,' Harry said. 'Let's get you inside.'

Ron obliged and walked with Harry whose arm was still slipped inside the blanket around Ron and holding his waist.

'What was that about your family?' Harry asked as they reached the door and stopped outside it. 'Bill said a little but I wasn't listening.'

'They know that I'm with you know so they'll try and find my family to get information about where we are out of them so Bill – he's secret keeper – he's moving them all to Aunt Muriel's. They'll be safe there.'

'Everyone?' Harry asked.

'Yeah, pretty much all of them. I don't know what Bill and Fleur are going to do but most of them, yeah.'

'What are you going to do?' Harry asked him.

'Stay with you,' Ron said seriously. 'What else would I do?'

'I just thought that after what happened today you might not have wanted to come along anymore.'

'That's bloody stupid,' Ron said. 'Of course I want to come, I'd follow you anywhere, and didn't I already say that?'

'Sorry, yeah,' Harry said sheepishly. 'I just wanted to make sure.' He smiled at him and kissed Ron on the lips softly not caring that they were all in plain view of the people inside.

* * *

Later that night all three of them sat on the bed Ron had woken up in earlier. They had spoken to Griphook and Ollivander about separate things.

Harry had wanted to talk to Griphook and had wanted Ron and Hermione to come with him, neither of them had the slightest clue about what he would ask the elf. Ron assumed it would be something to do with the sword. But it had turned out Harry wanted to break into Gringotts. Hermione told Harry it was madness, but Ron had heard of people who had broken in before, they hadn't come out of it very well but with the Goblin helping them they would surely get in and out successfully. The Goblin hadn't been so keen on helping them that much even though Harry had helped him out of the cellar. But in the end Harry had softened him down, saying maybe and that was good enough for Harry even though Ron wanted a straight answer because the bloody Goblin was stringing them along unfairly, playing games with them instead of giving them an out right answer.

What Harry wanted from Gringotts was something in Bellatrix's vault. She had seemed absolutely terrified that they might have gotten the sword from her vault but not like she cared about the sword much at all. She had only called You-Know-Who when she was certain the sword was a fake and couldn't possibly be from her vault. Harry was certain she had something else worth taking in there, he suspected that You-Know-Who had placed a Horcrux in there but told her it was a personal item and so, naturally Bellatrix had wanted to protect it with her life. Apparently You-Know-Who had trusted the Lestranges a lot and they had been the only ones who had come looking for him after he had fallen. So, whatever he had put in Gringotts would have been in Bellatrix's vault not just because she said so.

Gringotts was the safest place in the Wizarding world apart from Hogwarts. It was a natural place to hide something or plainly protect it.

Then Harry and whisked them off to talk to Mr Ollivander about the Elder Wand and his own wand, whether it could be fixed or not. Mr Ollivander had looked like a shadow of his former self, when they entered the room he was laying on the far bed like a cripple. His whole body could have belonged to a skeleton and he looked so ill. Ron then remembered the wand-maker had been in the cellar for over a year, and had been tortured by You-Know-Who if Harry's visions had been correct. What had happened to Ron in the drawing room with Bellatrix was nothing compared to the trauma Mr Ollivander had faced.

Harry had firstly asked Mr Ollivander if his beloved wand could be fixed, even though Ron knew Harry had geared himself up for disappointment Ron had still placed a comforting hand on his back when Mr Ollivander had said: 'A wand that has suffered this degree of damage cannot be repaired by any means that I know of.'

Ron's wand had been taken by Lucius Malfoy but luckily Hermione had snatched Wormtail's when he had strangled himself. Mr Ollivander had been forced to make it but it was safe for Ron to use as by some stroke of luck Hermione had managed to pick up a random wand when Greyback had dropped several during the fight in the drawing room. According to Mr Ollivander it was safe for them all to use the borrowed, stolen or conquered wands.

But to Harry's disappoint Mr Ollivander couldn't tell him what had happened to his wand so long ago at the beginning of the year. Harry then hastened to ask about the Elder Wand and they discovered that Hermione had known it because it had various names. The wand was known as the Deathstick, the Wand of Destiny, and the name they knew it by. Mr Ollivander told them that You-Know-Who didn't just want to find the Elder Wand to kill Harry but because he believed it would make him truly invincible and that it might indeed make him formidable and not so easily defeated.

Mr Ollivander said that he did believe the wand existed and pretty much said that if the Dark Lord got his hands on it, it would be a total disaster.

Harry had done a spot of really quick thinking and decided that Dumbledore had had the wand but then said that Hermione had been right, Dumbledore just wanted him to find the Horcruxes and leave the Hallows alone. It amazed Ron when Harry figured out things like that.

Ron didn't like that, You-Know-Who was after an unbeatable Wand and Harry was about to ignore that. To him it seemed stupid, Harry shouldn't just forget about that! It could be the difference between – he hated to think it - but life and death. When Ron climbed into the bed that night he was joined by Harry but Ron was so tired and aching he could barely think about the Elder Wand let alone discuss it with Harry any longer. He fell asleep huddled in Harry's arms with Harry still thinking out loud to him. It didn't matter; Harry wasn't really talking to him just talking things over. And Ron didn't want to think about times to come, frightening times that would involve breaking into Gringotts and whatever came after that, now he was simply content to fall into a deep sleep in Harry's arms.

* * *

**_Could I ask you to read my other story_ Curiosity _and review it please? I'd like more than two opinions on it, however good those opinions are! If you could that would be really good. Thank you!_ **

**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	16. The Thieves in the Vault

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Sixteen: The Thieves in the Vault**

Ron was sitting in the living room barely listening to all the talk going on around him. Mr Ollivander had left that day to his Aunt Muriel's and they had just got word back that he had made it ok. There was word about the rest of his family as well. Everyone was fine and Fred and George had already begun the difficult and challenging task of driving Aunt Muriel crazy.

The three of them had also been trying to persuade Griphook to help them again but he still wasn't that obliging or helpful. The bloody Goblin wanted payment for helping them, and the payment he wanted was the sword of Gryffindor. That was something none of them were willing to give away, mainly because it was something of a comfort to have that with them and because it was the only thing they had with them that could destroy Horcruxes. They would just have to think of another way to either get him to help them or find a different way to get into Gringotts.

A sudden knock at the door startled Ron and his head jolted up. Fleur looked nervous and Bill assured her that Death Eaters don't knock as he went to the door. But as he went his wand was pointed at the door, Ron, Harry and Hermione all pulled at their wands and pointed them in the same direction. Griphook brushed past Ron's leg as he dived under the table.

'Who is it?' Bill called and Ron saw him readjust his grip on his wand.

'It's me, Remus John Lupin!' The voice was only just distinguishable over the roar and howls of the strong wind. Ron felt fear coil in his stomach and that drop of panic. What had happened? After the good news about his family, could there be something that could possibly damper his spirits? He felt stupid for thinking that since yes, of course there could be. They were in the middle of a war.

'I am a werewolf, married to Nymphadora Tonks, and you, the secret keeper of Shell Cottage told me the address and let me come in an emergency,' Lupin spoke again. Ron could only just make it out as his voice and the things he said were true. He saw Bill smile as he darted towards the door to let the man in from the cold.

Lupin entered, falling over the threshold and looking cold, worn and exhausted but there was an unmistakable gleam of joy in his eyes as he looked at them all. He tugged his travelling cloak tighter around himself and smoothed a hand over his hair. 'It's a boy!' he yelped in joy. 'We've named him Ted, after Dora's father!'

Hermione, who was sitting next to Ron, squeezed his arm in a vice like grip and shrieked excitedly. 'Wha -,' she said not releasing her grip on Ron, 'Tonks – Tonks had the baby?'

'Yes, Tonks had the baby!' Lupin cried again in complete delight. Ron sighed in relief and all around him he could hear others crying out in glee or letting out breathes of unneeded fear.

'A baby?' Ron asked thinking that no matter how dark life seemed at the moment a newborn could always bring people's spirits up. 'Blimey, a baby?'

'Yes – yes – a boy!' Lupin cried joyously. He strode over and hugged Harry, squeezing the air out of him. Ron smiled; the scene at Grimmauld Place was forgiven. 'You'll be Godfather?' Lupin asked Harry.

'Me?' Harry asked stumbling over the word somewhat.

'Yes – yes – of course!' Lupin said. 'Dora agrees that there is no better person!'

'I – blimey – yeah,' Harry said looking over to him and Hermione and with a huge grin on his face.

'I can't stay long,' Lupin said after all the congratulations had died down and Fleur and Bill had hurried off to get goblets and wine. 'I have to get back, perhaps just one drink though.'

When Bill and Fleur returned they filled all their goblets and everyone raised them high above their heads in a toast. 'To Teddy Remus Lupin,' Lupin said raising his the highest, 'a great wizard in the making!'

'What does 'e look like?' Fleur asked.

'Dora thinks he looks like me, but I think he looks like Dora,' Lupin said in a rush, his glee and joy was apparent to everyone in the room. 'His hair was black when he was first born but when I left it was ginger and when I get back I suspect it will be blonde. Andromeda said that Dora's hair changed as soon as she was born.' He drained his goblet and turned to Bill. 'Oh go on then, just one more!'

They atmosphere inside the room was infectious and Ron couldn't help smiling and congratulating Lupin over and over again. Even if he had been in a sulking mood the air in the room would have been hard to escape. But his spirits fell only a little when he saw the Goblin sneak away upstairs like he was up to no good. The Goblin played such a big part in their plans and having him unhappy wasn't good. They needed to persuade him to help them or else they could not get into Gringotts at all and the trio wouldn't be able to see what Bellatrix was so anxious about keeping secret. Ron saw both Harry and Bill were watching Griphook too.

'No, no,' Lupin said, 'I really must be going. I will send some pictures in a short time – they'll be so glad to know I've seen you,' he said fastening his cloak and letting the girl's kiss him on the cheek. He stepped out with a wave into the cold wind and clasped Ron's hand before he left.

'A Godfather, Harry!' Bill said as he collected up the goblets. 'What an honour.' Harry had followed Bill into the kitchen helping carry the goblets and as soon as Harry was inside Bill shut the door firmly, leaving Ron outside in the living room.

'What do you think they're talking about?' Hermione asked as she sided up to him. She had seen the same thing as he had.

'I don't know,' Ron said. 'But at a guess I'd say Bill wants to know what's going on, he's let that Secret Keeper stuff get to his head a little bit, he thinks it's his job to know bloody everything now.'

'It's for protection,' Hermione said watching the door like Ron.

'I saw them both watching Griphook go upstairs, maybe Bill knows we've been trying to get something out him,' Ron said lowering his voice to a mere whisper. 'He knows a thing or two about Goblins.'

'But there's no way Harry will tell him anything about what we've been doing,' Hermione said. When Hermione had told Ron of what had happened in the cellar at the Malfoy Manor, Fleur had been in there but she had not heard a thing because she had been too busy dotting on Griphook who had taken the bed next to Ron's. If Fleur had overheard that she would have told Bill and he would have stopped asking so many questions. Bill finding out about Ron being tortured was luck, it couldn't have been hard to guess that though.

'How do you feel about what you have to do?' Ron asked her. 'Bloody hell, I'd be scared out of my mind.'

'Thanks, Ron, that's really helpful,' Hermione said glaring at him. 'I'm scared, it'll be hard but it has to be done.'

* * *

Their plans had been completed and the preparations finished. They stood around the mantle in the smallest bedroom staring at the long thin black hair that had been taken from Ron's shirt after the escape from Malfoy Manor. The hair was curled up in a glass bottle that caught remnants of the light in the room.

'And you have her actual wand,' Harry said flicking the phial with his fingernail so that it made a loud noise. 'You'll be pretty convincing.'

Ron looked at the walnut wand lying on the bed and shuddered, he didn't like to be near it. Hermione looked frightened as her eyes flickered back between the bottle and the deep coloured wand. She picked it up holding in gingerly in the palm of her hand.

'I hate this thing, I really do.' She sniffed. 'It's all wrong.'

Harry crossed over to Ron and put his arm around his shoulders and did the same to Hermione. 'It'll be fine!' he said but Ron couldn't help but notice the small hint of doubt in his voice.

'Having that wand will get you into character,' Ron said. 'You can really play the part of Bellatrix!'

Hermione flinched when he said this and nearly dropped the wand. 'That's the point!' she cried. 'This wand has done so much, tortured Neville's parents, killed Sirius and other things ... it doesn't feel right! I miss my old wand,' she said dejectedly. 'I wish Mr Ollivander could have made me a new one too.'

Ron looked out the window to see Luna was still out there practicing with the wand the maker had sent her that morning. They all wished Mr Ollivander could have made them new wands but he had been rather fond of Luna and grateful for all she had done for him in that cell. Dean was the only one expressing real gloom that he didn't have a wand or a new one made for him. He was outside with Luna watching as she tested it and smiling, sometimes clapping whenever it was required of him.

The door opened and Griphook entered, Harry instantly withdrew his arm from around Hermione and grabbed the hilt of the sword. 'We've just been checking last minute stuff, Griphook,' Harry said. 'We've told Bill and Fleur we are leaving tomorrow and for them not to get up and see us off.'

It was important that Bill and Fleur didn't get up to say goodbye and Ron had had a shouting match with Bill over it because he was still acting like he should know everything. Hermione needed to transform into Bellatrix before they left and it was vital that Fleur and Bill knew as little as possible. Ron had also had to tell Bill with some difficulty after their fight that they would not be returning and they needed a tent. They had lost Perkin's when the Snatchers had found them. Bill had lent them another, and it was now stored in the beaded bag. Ron was amazed to learn that Hermione had saved it from the Snatchers by shoving it down her sock.

Ron was sad to be leaving Fleur, Bill, Dean and Luna and the nights of comfort knowing that they were safe even if it was just for a while. But this had to be done. Ron would be happy to leave Shell Cottage and do the task at hand just to get rid of Griphook. He was constantly following them and watching like a hawk, his long fingers kept appearing around doors, his eyes in keyholes and often when they talked together they could hear him shuffling around outside the closed door. It was a little unnerving to say the least. 'Merlin,' Ron often hissed, 'he could give my mother lessons.' The Goblin did not spare them a free moment and when he did all that could be said was: 'We'll just have to wing it, guys.'

Amazingly, Ron slept well that night with Harry curled up next to him. Ron knew that Harry would not sleep and that he could do little about that so he just huddled close to Harry trying to give him some comfort as he slept himself. Occasionally, Ron did wake in the night as he experienced horrible jolts of fear and worry as to what would happen if their whole plan failed. They would be as good as dead if it failed.

Ron awoke when Harry stirred him at 6am, immediately as he rolled out his bed his body began to shake with nerves. He actually had to leave the house and run around outside for several minutes before he was calm enough to return back inside. After packing everything away and silently getting dressed they headed out into the garden to meet Hermione and Griphook. Ron's hand found Harry's and was determined not to let go.

He let out a jagged breathe and huddled closer to Harry as Bellatrix Lestrange strode along the grass towards them, Griphook at her side. Ron flinched as she came to a stop shoving the bag inside some old robes. It was terrifying to look at Hermione in that form, he felt Harry tense up at his side. They both shared horrible memories of that woman. Ron wanted to run and Harry looked as though he wanted to punch Hermione just for looking like Bellatrix.

'Ron, come here,' Hermione said beckoning to him with the scared fingers. 'I need to do you.'

Ron walked forward as the voice was Hermione's and that was calming enough. He was to be given a completely fake identity and walk alongside Hermione. Harry would take Griphook under the invisibility cloak.

Hermione was waving Bellatrix's wand around his face, changing certain things about his appearance. Ron wanted that wand out of his face, he wanted to snap it and run off. When Hermione was finished she spun Ron around and let Harry look at him.

'How does he look?'

'He's not my type, anymore,' Harry added with a grin, 'but he'll do.'

* * *

'Ok!' Harry bellowed. They were inside the vault with Hermione still looking imposing and Ron still looking just plain weird. The plan hadn't worked all that well, somehow the Goblins knew of the imposters inside of Gringotts and there was a Dragon outside, blowing fire at the door. It didn't really ease up the tension in the vault. But they had managed to get inside and now had one more task left to do before they could leave and vanish again without a trace.

The magic inside the vault was dangerous. When Ron touched anything it burnt him and then multiplied so there were more things burning him. It was clever and bloody annoying at the same time.

'Don't touch anything!' Harry yelled again.

But as he said that something fell from the pile before Ron and hit his shoe burning right through. Ron gasped and hoped away, grabbing at his foot. Luckily before he tumbled over again from lack of balance, Hermione caught him.

'Don't move,' she hissed in his ear.

'Just look around!' Harry said looking at the piles of gold and treasures the Lestrange's had collected in their lifetime. 'Remember, we are looking for the cup, it's small with a badger engraved on it or something with Ravenclaw's symbol, the eagle -'

As Hermione let go of Ron and went to search around the room, Ron wondered how on earth they would find these items as there was so much in this medium sized vault. More than he had ever seen in his life, he had to admit it was slightly breathtaking. But he shook himself out of it and peered into the piles of gold.

It was impossible not to brush up against anything, Ron was peering at some fake galleons when he accidently knocked against them and some can tumbling down and sourced his feet again; some left painful burn marks on his arms as they fell.

'It's up _there!' _Harry cried, the light from his wand pointing at the top most shelves of the vault. Ron turned his wand up there letting the light flow over and so did Hermione. The little golden cup sparkled as it was caught under the light: the cup that had belonged to Helga Hufflepuff which had been passed onto Hepzibah Smith that had then been stolen from her by Tom Riddle. Ron knew this, Harry had told him.

'Bloody hell!' Ron yelped looking up at the cup sitting so far away from them. 'How are we going to get up there without touching anything?'

'_Accio cup!' _Hermione shouted jabbing her wand towards the cup. She had forgotten what Griphook had told them during their planning sessions.

'No use,' the Goblin snarled.

'Then what do we do?' Harry snapped and glared at the Goblin. 'If you want the sword you have to help us more! Wait – the sword! Can I touch stuff with the sword? Hermione, pass it here!'

Hermione fumbled in her robes for a few seconds before withdrawing the beaded bag. She pulled out the shining and bejewelled hilt of the sword and then the whole think before passing it to Harry. Harry grabbed the hilt and then touched the blade of the sword to an object. It didn't multiply nor did the sword burn in anyway.

'How do I get up there?' Harry wondered aloud.

The heat from the treasures was hot and Ron was beginning to feel slightly faint from the strong warmth, he never did well in heat. A drop of sweat fell from his forehead and hit a goblet below him, the goblet let out a sizzling noise as the sweat hit it.

The roar of the dragon outside and the noise of the clanking getting closer made Ron jump and hit kicked the goblet with his foot and it multiplied in an instant, scathing his ankle.

'_Levicorpus!' _Hermione shouted suddenly with her wand pointed at Harry and he rose into the air lifted by his ankle. He smashed into a suit of armour and Ron heard him hiss in the pain but then the suit doubled and fell about Ron and Hermione. One hit Ron squarely in the shoulder and one his Hermione in the face and the two Goblins below were pelted by them. The four of them staggered backwards from the pain of the burns and they hit more treasure and it too doubled. Ron couldn't help it, he bit back a moan of pain which then turned into a muffled scream when they were waist deep in the treasure.

Half buried in the every growing sea of burning gold, Ron cheered as Harry finally looped the sword through the handle of the cup but in the process knocking against more pieces of treasure.

'_Impervious!' _Hermione yelled trying to protect her and the others from the rising tide. Hermione was struggling to keep the Goblin, Bogrod, up and away from the treasure and Ron was searching wildly around for Griphook, wincing at every step he took.

But Harry found Griphook first, and he pulled at the tips of the long fingers and lifted the blistered Goblin out and into the air. Ron sighed in relief and hurried back over, knocking against more treasure, to help Hermione with Bogrod.

'_Liberacorpus!' _Ron heard Harry yell and then with a deafening crash he and Griphook fell to the floor and the sword slipped from Harry's hand.

Ron yelled but Griphook had seen it first and held onto Harry's hair with one hand and with the other reached out for the sword, his fingers closing around it's hilt. As Griphook twisted the sword back around the cup flew from the blade and Harry pushed Griphook aside and latched himself to the cup, not letting go when multiplies of it erupted out.

As Harry got the cup, Ron grabbed Hermione and they raced for the exit with Harry close at their heels and the tide of silver and gold even closer. Hardly aware of the pain in his body from the new burns Ron ran out of the vault and gasped, slipping to a halt on the hot metal. Goblins were surrounding them, all looking like they would kill them at any instant. Griphook dashed away from Harry and ran towards the advancing group shouting, 'Thieves! Help! Thieves!'

_'Stupefy!' _Harry bellowed and in a second Ron joined in, blasting the approaching group with jets of red light. Some fell to the ground but there was so many of them that most kept coming forward, torches in hand. Out of the corner of his eyes as he cast another spell, Ron saw a group of wizards running towards them, wands at the ready.

The tied Dragon let out a roar and a burst of flame flew at the approaching wizards and Goblins, Ron had to jump aside as the hem of his robe was burnt.

'_Relashio!' _Harry bellowed and the chains on the Dragon fell to the ground with a heavy clang.

'Oh no, Harry,' Hermione whimpered. 'Oh no, that's not a good idea!'

'Can you suggest anything else?' Harry yelled running towards the terrible Dragon. Harry stepped up onto it's back and the Dragon, who didn't notice that it was free, was unmoving and it didn't seem to feel a thing. Ron clasped the hand that Harry was offering him and was pulled up into the hard steel of the Dragon's back. Ron then helped Hermione up into its back, she got up just in time before the Dragon reared. Ron dug his legs into the hide, holding on tightly.

Ron clutched with his legs and when he Harry yelled at him to hold on to him, he wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and felt Hermione doing the same to him. The wings spread, knocking Goblin's aside like a Beater's club, it soared into the air. When the Dragon saw no way out it shot a burst of flame at the wall which crumbled in an instant. But the Dragon was far too large to squeeze through the small hole it had created.

'Help it!' Hermione shrieked and she yanked her wand out of her sleeve and began yelling all the expanding spells she knew. Ron did the same shouting them over and over again, praying that it would take some effect.

Finally, with their spells and the brute strength of the Dragon they burst through in the marble hall. Wizards and witches screamed and ran for cover as the Dragon alighted on the floor and shot another blaze towards the doors, firing them open. The Dragon now had room to stretch its wings properly and it did. It flew up and out the door into the fresh light and cool breezy air. Ron looked down below and the wizards staring up into the sky as they flew, still securely on the creatures back, into the sky over their heads. Ron laughed and buried his face into Harry's back, holding on to him tightly.

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	17. Maybe and Can't

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Seventeen: Maybe and Can't**

'I don't know how to break this to you,' Ron said as they lay on the shores of a river after jumping from the back of a dragon, 'but I think they might have just noticed we broke into Gringotts.' He put his arms beneath his head and looked up towards the sky dotted with white clouds. He wasn't really in the mood for anymore talking, his burns ached, he was tired, wet and hungry; they all knew how he got when he went hungry for too long. 

But suddenly Harry and Hermione were laughing, clutching that their sides as if unable to stop giggling. Ron smiled and began to laugh to, he sat up and looked at the lit up faces of his friends and everything felt normal. Ron lay back down next to Harry and they both laughed themselves silly.

'What are we going to do, though?' Hermione asked as she hiccoughed herself back into seriousness. 'He'll know won't he?' she said down heartedly like she knew things were about to become deadly dangerous. 'You-Know-Who will know we know about the Horcruxes.'

Ron stared up the sky. Bellatrix had been that frightened that they had broken into her vault at the manor so maybe she'd be too scared to tell You-Know-Who and maybe the Gringotts staff wouldn't tell him either for fear of what he'd do to them. 'Maybe they won't tell him,' he said, 'maybe they'll be too scared to tell him. Maybe,' he continued, 'well, you know how the cup broke into more copies, yeah? Well, maybe they'll just use one of them as a cover. They might not even tell Bellatrix and if they did maybe she wouldn't even tell him that we'd broken in. You saw how frightened she was that we might have broken into her vault at the manor.'

'Oh, Ron, don't be stupid!' Hermione said all her laughter gone. 'They'll tell him or Bellatrix as soon as possible, if they don't tell either of them the instance it happens and wait until later can you imagine how angrier You-Know-Who would be? He'd kill them if they waited until later!'

'He'd kill them anyway,' Ron said with a shrug and before Hermione could tell him what a horrible pig he was for saying that even though it was correct, Harry beside him let out a strangled moan.

Harry's hand was pressed it his forehead and his eyes were squeezed shut tightly, the band of his glasses digging into his nose. He looked - even through the intense pain Ron knew he had to cope with - like he was concentrating deeply. Ron wanted to shake his shoulders and snap him out of it. He hated when Harry did this, it was frightening that You-Know-Who was inside his head in that way, but he had to admit it was a brilliant way to get information. He was still placed firmly against it though.

As Ron leant further over Harry who was lying against the grass, Harry's eyes suddenly jolted open and he gasped out in surprise as he saw Ron leaning over him. Ron jumped back a little too from the abrupt shine of the green eyes. Ron saw Harry look past him and to the cup sitting where they had left it, Ron turned to stare at it as well. It looked so innocent lying there but Ron knew that something horrible and disgusting was inside it, something that needed to be destroyed. As if to add to the cup's innocent appearance the sun peeked out from behind a cloud and shone straight onto the Horcrux so that it was a bright gold.

'He knows,' Harry whimpered to Ron and to Hermione who had shuffled forward to sit by them. 'He knows we found the Horcrux and he's angry. He knows and he's going to check where the others are,' Harry said and grabbed onto Ron as he sat up, 'the last one is at Hogwarts. I knew it, I knew it.'

'But what do you see?' Hermione asked. 'Did you see anything?'

Ron felt Harry clamp his hands onto his shoulders as they both stared at Hermione, but then Ron looked down to Harry as the boy made a noise. 'He found out about the cup, I saw that. He's angry ... really angry. He's scared too because he doesn't understand how we knew. He's going to check on the others, the ring first. He thinks the one at Hogwarts is the safest because Snape's there. He's going to check on that one last but still he could be there in a couple of hours.'

Ron brushed his cheek against Harry's hair and murmured into his ear, 'did you see where the one at Hogwarts was?'

'No,' Harry whispered back but loud enough for Hermione to hear. 'He was concentrating on warning Snape, he didn't think about where it was.'

Ron let go of Harry and ran down to the water's edge to pick up the Horcrux. Harry had lurched to his feet as well and was clambering around for the invisibility cloak.

'Wait,' Hermione said. They both heard but paid no heed. 'WAIT!' she cried loudly and this time they both froze and turned to stare at her. Ron was trying to remember the last time she had shouted that loudly when he remembered the current situation and tried to wrestle the beaded bag from Hermione. 'Ron, stop it! Listen, both you of,' she snapped. 'We can't just go now, we need a plan!'

'No,' Harry said firmly. 'What is he going to do once he finds out the ring and the locket is gone? What if he moves the Hogwarts Horcrux? We know where it is and we need to get it!'

'We'll go to Hogsmeade,' Harry said, 'and then try to work something out when he find out what the protection at the school is like. Hermione get under the cloak,' he said. Ron was already pressed up against Harry and ready to vanish under the cloak.

'But we don't really fit,' Hermione said.

'It'll be dark, no one will notice our feet.'

The flapping of giant wings made Ron turn around just in time to see the dragon fly up into the air and rise higher and higher into the blackening sky. It vanished with several more flaps of its wings over a mountain before Ron turned back to Harry and huddled against him again, making more room for Hermione as she ran forward. Together all three of them turned on the spot and vanished from the darkness into more darkness.

They landed in the centre of Hogsmeade, the cloak stayed firmly on their shoulders. Ron looked around at all the familiar shops and sights, the outline of the pitch black mountains in the distance and the curvy road that led off towards Hogwarts. Light was spilling from the windows of the Three Broomsticks and Ron thought the pub looked quite full for such bleak times and a boring day.

Just as Ron was about to relax his grip on Harry's arm and probably pull him into a kiss when a terrible screech vented through the air. The light from the pub windows were blocked out as the figures inside stood and rushed outside, wands raised and pointing straight at the three of them. Hermione made a desperate grab for the cloak and it stayed around them – the Death Eaters in their dark hooded cloaks grunted in collective disappointment. Ron grabbed Hermione's wrist and his arm was still tight around Harry's, he pulled them off into a barely lit side street away from the wands of the Death Eaters.

The stupid men and women hadn't seen their feet as they darted out of sight, they hadn't even seen Hermione's hand dart out from under the cloak to grab for it as someone tried to summon it. Ron assumed they were on orders to get the cloak first to unmask Harry and he figured that horrid scream was probably because of them arriving.

'Spread out,' one of the Death Eaters commanded. 'He's here.'

Two of the six people swarmed towards the dark alley they were hiding in and Harry quickly pulled them further down and behind the building where they stood panting quietly. They waited in the darkness listening to the footsteps of the Death Eaters running up and down around the town looking for them and feeling out for them under the cloak.

'Leave,' Hermione said, 'we have to leave, Disapparate now!' she said in a whisper.

'I opt for that,' Ron said his voice even lower then Hermione's. But just as he said it another Death Eater shouted out into the night, 'we know you're here, Potter! And there's no getting away, we'll find you.'

'They were waiting and ready for us,' Harry hissed. 'They set up that spell to warn them when we arrived. I reckon they've done something to make sure we can't leave no we're here.'

'What about Dementors?' another asked. 'Let 'em have some freedom, they'll find the boy quick as that.'

'The Dark Lord wants to kill him with his own hand, no hand but his,' the Death Eater who had issued the Accio spell said.

'But won't a bit of kissin' make easier to kill? The Dark Lord, he wants Potter's life, not his soul, a bit of kissin' won't hurt.'

Noises and grunts of agreement echoed throughout the town. Ron was quivering beside Harry. He wanted to leave and get them out of this place, and go somewhere Harry would be safe. If the Dementors were brought in they would have to use Patronuses which would identify their whereabouts immediately. Disapparating still seemed like the best idea.

'We're going to need to Disapparate, Harry!' Hermione said tugging on his sleeve.

Just as she said Ron felt the air around him turn cold, an unnatural cold. Light was being taken from the environment without the use of his Deluminator and he noticed with a sharp intake of breathe that the stars had gone as well. His heart began to patter faster in his chest. Through the darkness, Ron felt Hermione seize hold of his arm and reach across him to grab Harry's as well, she turned on the stop turning them with her.

But the air was thick and they couldn't move through it. This must have been the type of restrictions Harry had meant when he said he thought the Death Eaters had done something to stop them from leaving. It was a good charm, they were stuck here until they could find away to slip from the clutches of these people. The cold was beginning to chew harder into his flesh, he was thankful that it was numbing the scolding burns he had received before but now the cold was getting too _cold. _Hermione tugged on their arms that she still held in her hands and they followed her silently around the building they had hidden behind. Then, around the corner before they could turn it a Dementor glided, Ron counted ten or more them. Their rotting skeletal hands were outstretched before them and the dark hoods covering their scabby, rotting faces. Ron felt fear begin to bubble in his throat and the desire to yell out was huge, but he clamped down tightly on his bottom lip and wouldn't scream.

Harry raised his wand noiselessly and whispered, '_Expecto Patronum.' _ The silver stag erupted from Harry's wand and charged forward at the approaching Dementors. They scattered, gliding at fast pace away from them. But a triumphant yell echoed out around the area.

'That's him!' a Death Eater shouted. 'He's here! I saw his Patronus!'

The Dementors had left and Ron looked to the sky again seeing – with relief – that the stairs were popping back out again. But in his panic and the panic of the others none of them could think of what to do. There was a grinding of bolts and a door opened up the street from them a little in the side of the house. 'Potter,' a rough voice growled, 'in here quick!'

Harry obeyed without waiting and pulled him and Hermione through into the house of the stranger.

'Upstairs, keep the Cloak on, keep quiet,' the tall figure who had let them in muttered, and their saviour stepped quickly past them, slamming the door shut behind him.

Ron realized they were in the Hog's Head and by the single light of the candle located where the stairs were and pulled Harry and Hermione up with him. The stairs opened to a sitting room with a dusty old carpet covering the wooden even dirtier floor. A small fireplace was in the corner and above that sat a rather large portrait of a girl with blonde hair who gazed out to the room with the same expression Luna often wore on her face.

Shouts were still being issued in the street below and using the Cloak they tiptoed towards the window and peered outside. The person who had opened the door for them was on the only one outside not wearing a hood so he was easily distinguishable.

'So what?' he was shouting, 'so I set one foot outside of my house to let the cat out and you send Dementors down on me? I'll send that Patronus at them, I'm not having them sent at me! I'll have none of it!'

'That wasn't your Patronus,' a Death Eater growled stepping towards the man, 'that was Potter's Patronus, a stag!'

'Stag,' the man roared, 'stag! Idiots, _Expecto Patronum!' _something large, horned and slivery broke out from the tip of his wand and charged down the street.

'That's not what I saw ...' the Death Eater told his fellows with a nervous grimace.

'You set of the Caterwauling charm?' another Death Eater asked the man.

'Yes!' the man barked. 'If I want to put my cat outside, I'll bloody put my cat outside, screw the damned curfew!'

'You'd best be worrying about breaking curfew,' the same Death Eater said. 'It'll land you in a lot of trouble!'

'What are you going to do? Send me to Azkaban for putting my cat outside? Merlin's balls, I hope you haven't called him here for my little old cat and me, he wouldn't like that!'

'I still say I saw a stag!'

'It's a goat you lumbering idiot!'

'All right,' the Death Eater said backing off a little. 'I'll admit we made a mistake, but break curfew once more and we won't be so approving.'

'What if I want to bring my cat back inside?' the man roared after then as they walked back down the street towards the Three Broomsticks.

Hermione groaned with relief and pulled herself out from under the cloak, shutting the curtains upstairs and watching nervously as Harry sank into a chair. Ron heard the barman downstairs re-bolting the door and then climbing the stairs.

'You bloody fool's,' the barman said as he entered. 'What were you thinking, coming here?'

'Thank you,' Harry said meaning it, 'we can't thank you enough since you saved our lives.' Harry stood of the stool and walked towards the man and peered up through the stringy strands of hair covering his face. 'You,' he breathed out. 'It's your face I've been seeing the in the mirror, your eye, you sent Dobby!'

The barman nodded and then looked at the three of them, searching for someone else. 'I'd thought he be with you, where've you left him?'

'He's dead,' Harry said awkwardly, 'Bellatrix Lestrange killed him.'

The man looked impassive for a moment and then sunk into a chair sighing, 'Oh, I'm sorry to hear that' he said. 'I liked that elf.'

'You're Aberforth,' Harry said to the man and then walked across to the mantle and pointed at the mirror lying there. Ron recognized it as the mirror Sirius had given Harry. 'Where did you get this?'

'Brought it from 'Dung about a year ago,' Aberforth said. 'Albus told me what it was, I've been trying to keep an eye out for you.'

Ron gasped. 'Was it you who sent that doe Patronus?' he asked excitedly, maybe that mystery could finally be solved.

Aberforth scoffed. 'With brains like that you could be a Death Eater. Haven't I just proven my Patronus is a goat?'

'Oh,' Ron said looking sheepishly at his feet and trying to find some excuse to blame his stupidity on, 'well, I'm hungry,' he said defensively and his stomach backed him up with a huge rumble. He caught Harry grinning at him and blushed.

'I've got food,' Aberforth mumbled and left the room only to return seconds later carrying bread, some cheese and a large jug of water. He set the food down on the coffee table and Ron dug in, completely ravenous. For a long while there was nothing but the crackle of fire and munching of food accompanied by the clink of goblets.

'Right then,' Aberforth said ignoring the fact that Ron and Harry had just climbed into one of the armchairs together and were sitting quite comfortably in each other's arms. 'We need to think of the best way to get you out of here. Step foot outside and the Caterwauling charm goes off, they'll be onto to you like Bowtruckle's to Doxy eggs if you do that. I don't reckon we'll be able to pass a goat off for a stag again. Wait until daybreak when the curfew is lifted, put your cloak on and head towards the mountains where you can Disapparate. You might see Hagrid up there,' Aberforth added with a weary smile. 'He's been hiding out in a cave with Grawp ever since they tried to arrest him.'

'We're not leaving,' Harry said determinedly, grasping tightly to Ron's hand. 'We need to get to Hogwarts.'

'Don't be stupid, boy,' Aberforth snapped at him.

'We've got to,' Ron added to back Harry up.

'What you three have got to do,' Aberforth told them, 'is get out of here, as far away as you can, out of the country if possible.'

'You don't understand,' Harry said. 'There isn't much time; we've got to get into the castle. Dumbledore – I mean your brother – wanted us -'

'My brother wanted a lot of things,' Aberforth said breaking off Harry's words, 'and people had a habit of getting hurt or worse while he was trying to get those things. You get away from this school, Potter; all three of you get away from here. Forget my brother and his clever schemes; they'll only get you killed. He's in a place where nothing matters to him anymore, you owe him nothing.'

'You don't understand,' Harry said again.

'Oh, don't I?' Aberforth stood from his chair and paced in front of the fireplace, occasionally stopping to stare at the picture of the girl. 'You don't think I knew my own brother? You reckon you knew Albus better than I did?'

Harry held his hands up, 'I didn't mean that,' he said. 'It's ... just that he left us a job to do.'

'Did he now?' Aberforth said. 'Nice job is it, pleasant? Fun? Easy? Do you get to go running over the countryside, boyfriend in tow and with whatever you are,' he waved a dismissive hand at Hermione, 'running along behind? Is the job something an unqualified wizard would be able to do without overstretching themselves? No threat of death or anything?'

Ron let out a choked laugh and Hermione stuttered nervously like she about to speak but couldn't quite manage it.

'You don't understand,' Harry repeated. 'It's not easy, but we've got to.'

'Weren't you listening before, Potter?' Aberforth asked harshly. 'I said he's dead! You don't owe him squat, whatever "job" he left you, you can leave it. You haven't "got to" to do anything. Save it, yourself and your friends before you all follow him. Leave whatever job he left you and get the hell out of here.'

'I can't.'

'This stupid mission he left you, it'll tear you and freckles over there apart,' Aberforth said sullenly. 'I saw it happen with Albus, he and ... never mind the name, but doing this kind of thing will make you lose everything you love.' Aberforth was talking to Harry specifically now and Ron felt a little uncomfortable at being one of the subjects the man was talking about. 'It happened to my brother.'

'I can't stop.'

'Why not, didn't I just give you enough reasons to stop?'

'I-' Harry said. 'But you're fighting too! You're in the Order of the Phoenix!'

'I was,' Aberforth muttered sinking back into his chair. 'The Order has finished. You-Know-Who has won, it's over, boy, everyone who pretending different is kidding themselves, you three included. It'll never be safe you here, Potter, he wants you too badly.'

'I can't leave!' Harry said, 'I have a job.'

'Then give it to someone else!'

'I can't, Dumbledore gave me a job, and he gave it to me, no one else. He explained it all -'

'Did he now? Did he tell you everything? Was he honest with you?' Aberforth smiled when Harry didn't answer. 'I knew my brother, Potter. He learned secrecy at my mother's knees. Secrets and lies, that's how we grew up and Albus ... well, he was always a fast leaner.'

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**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	18. Basilisk's Tooth

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Eighteen: Basilisk's Tooth**

'HARRY!' 

'It's Potter, Harry!'

'_Ron!' _

_'_Hermione!'

After stepping through the portrait of Aberforth's deceased sister and being greeted by Neville inside a long and narrow tunnel that lead Merlin knows where, Ron was sure he wouldn't be surprised when he found out what was at the end. But he was. Colourful hangings decorated the stone room, and many people were sitting on beds, chairs and the floor their faces brightened by the light of lamps. He had very little time to figure out where they were for in a second he was being engulfed in a hug, being pounded on the back and having his hair ruffled by seemed like at least ten people.

'Ok, OK!' Neville yelled pushing some of the people away from them. 'Calm down!' And the group did as they were told and backed away from them.

Ron was now able to take in his surroundings. He didn't recognize the room but it was enormous. It reminded Ron of the old drawings of Muggle ships his dad used to show him. Hammocks hung from the ceiling and a balcony that ran over the interior of the room. Multi-coloured hangings drooped down from this balcony and Ron saw the Gryffindor lion, backed by scarlet, the dark badger of Hufflepuff set against yellow, and the bronze eagle of Ravenclaw on blue. He did notice that the green and silver of Slytherin was missing from the bright room. There were bookcases under the hammocks that looked fit to burst, several broomsticks lying against the wall and a large wooden wireless radio.

'Where are we?' Harry asked staring around at the room with awe like both him and Hermione.

'In the Room of Requirement, of course!' Neville said expanding his arms out in a wide gesture. 'Surpassed itself, hasn't it? I was running from the Carrows and I knew this was the only place I could hide. So when I open the door I found this, great isn't it? It wasn't exactly like this, it was a lot smaller and it only had one hammock and Gryffindor hangings then but it's grown as more of the DA have come here.'

'And the Carrows can't get in?' Harry asked looking over his shoulder like they'd burst in behind him. Ron was barely listening to this he was staring around at the faces. He saw Seamus whose face was so puffy and bruised it was hardly recognizable. When Seamus saw him staring he smiled and gave Ron the thumbs up. Ron grinned back and looked around for who else was in the room. He saw that both the Patil twins were there, as were Terry Boot, Anthony Goldstein, Ernie Macmillan and Michael Corner.

'No,' Seamus said in response to Harry's question. 'It's a proper hideout as long as one of us stays here, they can't get at us, and the door won't open. But it's all up to Neville, he really _gets _this room,' Seamus said and looked at Neville with a wide grin and if Ron wasn't mistaken a look of great respect was accompanied with the smile. 'You've got to ask the room exactly what you need like – "None of the Carrows supporters can get in" – and it'll do it for you! You've just got to make sure you close the loopholes, Neville does it best!'

'It's quite straightforward, really,' Neville said modestly blushing at Seamus' words of praise. 'I'd been in here about a day and a half and I was beginning to get really hungry when it opened a passage to the Hogs Head. Aberforth's being supplying us with food and water because for some reason the room won't do that.'

'Yeah, well,' Ron said, 'food's one of the five exceptions to Gimp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration,' he finished and was met with looks of astonishment and Hermione was beaming at him, looking proud. '_What?' _he asked.

'Nothing,' Seamus said, 'so, we've been hiding out here for about two weeks and it just makes more hammocks every time we need them and it even sprouted up a damn good bathroom once girls started arriving.'

'It thought we'd like to wash, yes,' Lavender Brown said and it was the first time Ron had seen her, she waved at him and he waved back with a smile.

'Tell us what you've been up to, though,' Ernie said, 'there have been so many rumours and we don't know what to believe. We've been trying to keep up with _Potterwatch,' _he said and pointed to the wireless. 'Did you really break in Gringotts?'

'They did!' Neville said remembering what information they had told him while the four walked down the long corridor to get to the room. 'And the Dragon's true too!'

There were a few whoops and some applause, Seamus grasped Ron's hand in a congratulating way so Ron decided to take a bow. He bent low and the applause and laughter grew louder. But Harry beside him let out a low gasp which brought Ron back up straight away. Harry was clutching his scar and trying not look as though he was in any pain. It didn't last long as barely seconds after his hand had jolted to his scar it moved down to his side again and he looked flushed.

'Are you ok?' Ron asked.

'Do you want to sit down, Harry?' Neville asked, 'I suspect you're tired ...'

'No,' Harry said and leant back into Ron's arms, tugging urgently on his sleeve. 'He's found out about the missing Horcruxe,' Harry hissed to him and Ron felt his stomach drop, it meant that You-Know-Who arrival at Hogwarts as getting closer and closer. They didn't have time to chat here and they should get going to find the missing Horcrux.

'We need to get going,' Harry said stepped away from Ron's arms.

'What are we going to do then, Harry?' Seamus asked, 'what's the plan?'

'Plan?' Harry asked looking at Irish in surprise. 'Well, Ron, Hermione and I need to get out of here and I – I need to do ... that's the plan.'

'What do you mean "get out of here"?' Neville asked.

'We haven't come back to stay,' Harry told them, 'there's something important we need to do.'

'What is it?'

'We can't tell you.'

Ron heard all of the DA make a collective murmur of disappointment at this: and Neville arched his brows.

'It's something to do with You-Know-Who isn't it?' he asked.

'Yeah-'

'Then we'll help you.' The murmur's behind Neville got louder and the DA was nodding enthusiastically and some of them rose out of their seats to prove their readiness to go with him.

'You don't understand,' Harry said in a hurried voice. 'We can't tell you, we've got to do it alone.'

'Why?' Neville asked his eyes narrowing as he stared at Harry.

'Because ...' Harry said. 'Dumbledore left us three a job,' Ron noticed Harry was speaking very carefully, 'and we weren't supposed to tell – I mean he just wanted us to do it, us three.'

'We're his Army,' Neville said, 'Dumbledore's Army. We are all in it together, we've been keeping it going while you three have been doing whatever -'

'Let me tell you it wasn't exactly a picnic, mate,' Ron hurried to add as he saw Neville was beginning to steam up. Neville had changed momentously in the past year and he wasn't about to take orders from Harry. Ron remembered that Neville had usually just followed along and it was great to see him stand up to Harry like that but Ron wanted to appreciate that later, now they needed to go.

'I never said it had,' Neville said turning to him and staring at him seriously, 'but I don't see why we can't help you three or why you can't trust us. Everyone in this room has proven that they are loyal to Dumbledore – to you, Harry.'

'Look,' Harry began and Ron noticed the beginnings of an argument staring, he was thankful when the tunnel door behind them opened.

Dean and Luna stepped through. 'Hello all,' Luna sang out with a chirpy grin. Seamus launched himself at Dean with a roar and engulfed his best friend in a tight hug. 'We got your message, Neville!' Luna added. 'Oh, hello you three, I thought you might be here.'

'Luna,' Hermione said looking surprised. 'What are you doing here?'

'I sent for them,' Neville said digging into his pocket and holding up the fake the Galleons Hermione had made for the DA a while back. 'I told her and Ginny I'd warn them if you showed up. Because we all thought that if you came back it would mean a revolution. We want to overthrow Snape and the Carrows.'

'Listen,' Harry said. 'I'm sorry that's not what we came back for. We've got something to do.'

'You're just going to leave us in this mess?' Michael Corner demanded to know.

'No!' Ron said. 'What we are doing will help everyone, it'll get rid of You-Know-Who.'

'Then let us help!' Neville snapped looking ferocious. 'We want to be a part of it!'

The noise of more people clambering through the tunnel made Ron turn around and with a great bolt of happiness he saw his sister and the twins climbing in. Ginny ran straight for him and pulled him into a great hug and the twins followed by Lee Jordan, clapped him on the back.

'Aberforth's getting a bit pissy,' Fred warned them ruffling Ron's hair and he scowled. 'He wants a kip and his bar's turned into a bit of a railway station.'

'I got the message.' Ron swung around pushing Ginny off him to see Cho Chang and he bristled with envy as Harry was staring at her in shock and she smiled radiantly at him. Cho showed her coin to Neville and hurried over to sit beside the Corner boy, smiling over her shoulder at Harry and Ron was sure she was adding more swing to her hips as she walked.

'So, Harry,' George said his arm around Ron's shoulder, 'what's the plan?'

'There isn't one.'

'Just going to make it up as we go along, that's my favourite kind,' Fred joked to George.

'Neville,' Harry said above the noise of the new comers, 'you've got to stop this! Why did you get all of these people to come?'

'We're fighting aren't we?' Dean asked. 'The message was "Harry's back, and we're going to fight."'

Ron was watching all the new people; he could see so many ways in which they could help them. There were Ravenclaw's who could help them locate the Ravenclaw item Harry kept blabbering about and of course many loyal Hufflepuff's who Ron personally thought were good for making diversions and brave Gryffindor's. With all of them working together they could storm Hogwarts and find what they needed in no time.

'Why can't they help?' he asked Harry.

'What?'

'They could help,' Ron repeated. He dropped his voice and shoved George rather sharply away from him so he stumbled into his brother. Hermione was looking intently at Ron and he was sure no one but the three of them could hear. 'Harry, we don't know where it is and we've got to find it fast. They don't need to know it's a Horcrux.'

'I think Ron's right,' Hermione murmured to Harry. 'We don't know what we are looking for, come on Harry we need them. You don't have to do everything alone, Harry.'

'All right,' he whispered to them looking guilty at Hermione like something she had said had struck a chord with him. 'Ok,' he said to everyone in the room. 'We need to find something, it'll help us overthrow You-Know-Who,' he added. 'It's in Hogwarts but we don't know where. It might have belonged to Ravenclaw. Has anyone heard of an object like that? Has anyone come across something with her eagle on it for instance?'

Ron looked towards the small group of Ravenclaw's who were talking quietly to themselves as if debating wither to tell Harry what they knew. But it took very little time for them to answer.

'Well, there is her lost Diadem,' Luna said.

'Yeah, but the lost Diadem is _lost, _Luna,' Michael Corner rolled his eyes. 'That's kind of the point.'

'Hey!' Dean snapped at him, 'she might know something, shut your face at let her finish!'

'When was it lost, Luna?' Harry asked.

'Centuries ago,' she said. 'Professor Flitwick says the Diadem vanished with Ravenclaw herself. People have looked for it,' Luna added wistfully, 'but no one has found it. People have looked, I couldn't find it.'

Ron was confused. 'Sorry,' he asked feeling stupid for asking. 'But what is a Diadem?'

'It's a kind of crown,' Terry Boot said. 'Ravenclaw's was supposed to have magical properties. It was said to enhance the wisdom of the wearer.'

'And none of you have seen something that looks it?' Harry asked.

They shook their heads.

Ron sighed deeply disappointed. Something that had been lost that long ago was hardly a good candidate for a Horcrux. But what if You-Know-Who had managed to find it and put a part of his soul inside before hiding it again. It didn't seem likely but it could have been possible.

'If you'd like to see what it's supposed to look like, I could show you, Harry,' Cho said smiling at him. 'Ravenclaw is wearing it in her statue.'

Ron resisted the urge to hit Cho across the face. He had heard enough of her when Harry was blabbing about how much he liked her during fourth and fifth year. Ron scowled and then remembered Luna was there. Luna would take him quite happily. Cho looked like she had some other thoughts rather than just taking Harry to her common room.

'Yeah,' Harry said, 'that'd be good, yeah.'

Cho stood to her feet. 'No,' Ron said glaring at her, 'Luna could show you, could you Luna?'

'Ooh, yes,' Luna said standing up herself and walking over to them. 'I'd like to.'

Hermione elbowed Ron in the ribs as Cho sat down looking unhappy. 'What?' Ron hissed at Hermione.

'You had kick up a fuss?'

'He could have gone up with Terry Boot and I wouldn't have cared, just anyone but her.'

'How do we get out?' Harry was asking Neville.

'Over here,' Neville said and led them away. After a few seconds of Neville showing them where the exit was Harry had run back over to Ron. Harry ran a hand through Ron's hair and pulled him into a hug.

'He's coming,' Harry whispered to him. 'He's coming, he'll be here soon.' Harry broke the hug and kissed Ron softly on the lips before hugging Hermione and probably whispering the same to here because her eyes widened and she nodded.

After Harry had gone the two of them were bombarded by questions. Hermione was trying her best to answer them all without giving anything away but Ron was thinking, something he usually left to Hermione, but this time he was thinking.

They needed to destroy the cup Hermione had in her bag and that way when You-Know-Who did come there would be one less thing for him to take. They had nothing with them that would destroy a Horcrux as that scummy traitor Griphook had run off with the sword of Gryffindor – Ron had taken that very personally. They desperately needed something to destroy the cup with. Ron racked his brains trying to think of what he knew did that.

'Shut up!' he yelled at the people still bombarding questions at Hermione. 'Sorry,' he added sheepishly when they all turned to stare at him and Fred and George sniggered. He drew Hermione aside with the DA still watching them intently.

They were a fair distance away from the group, close to the portrait they had entered by when Ron spoke softly, 'Hermione, we need to destroy the cup.'

Her hand immediately flew to the bag where the cup was housed. 'What with though? We don't have anything to do that with!'

'We need to find something,' Ron said clutching at his hair. 'What killed the Horcruxes before?'

'The sword,' Hermione said instantly. 'But we don't have that anymore. Griphook ...' she added.

'Has Harry ever mentioned anything about something else that could kill a Horcrux?' Ron asked and then he remembered. 'Ah!' he said and grabbed Hermione's arm hard nearly exploding from the excitement and knowledge that this would work. 'A basilisk tooth, remember what Harry said? He destroyed the diary with the tooth of the basilisk! Come on,' he said running for the door where Harry and Luna had left just minutes ago.

'Hey!' he heard Ginny calling after them as they left the room. 'Where are you going?'

'To the bathroom!' Hermione called over her shoulder and Ron was glad she had caught on.

Soon they were standing in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom on the second floor. They were standing before the row of sinks that under the large cracked and spotted mirror. The candles in this bathroom were barely bright enough to light up the whole room but by feeling their way around each of the copper taps they found the tiny snake scratched on the side. Hermione was the one who found the correct sink and she let out a yelp of triumph when she had which brought Ron scurrying over.

'How do we open it?' she asked staring down at the sink before him.

'Harry used Parseltongue last time,' Ron said, 'and he used Parseltongue to open the locket. Parseltongue, do you think?' Ron asked Hermione who was standing with a very serious air about her as she looked down at the sink.

'Parseltongue,' Hermione agreed. 'But neither of us speaks it!'

Ron looked across to the wooden cubicles that were worn and badly looked after and hoped for some kind of inspiration to strike him. He racked his brain trying to remember what Harry's voice had sounded like when he had spoken the language around him.

'Should we just hiss at it?' Ron asked Hermione.

'Can you remember what Harry sounded like when he opened the chamber?'

'It was just a hiss and that was ages ago of course I can't remember that far back!'

'What about when he opened the locket?'

Ron strained his memory back but all he could remember was a strangled hiss that came out of Harry's throat. He kept going over that memory in his mind again and again until the hiss he remembered meant something and Ron was sure he could try and replicate it.

'Kind of,' Ron said, 'I'll give it a shot, but don't be bloody annoyed if it doesn't work.' He stepped forward to the sink, Hermione moved out of his way, Ron looked at the bronze chipped tap and touched his hand to the snake etched into it. He cleared his throat and let out a hiss that sounded oddly distorted to him. Nothing happened.

'Try again,' Hermione urged.

Ron hissed again. And the outcome was still the same, nothing happened. He closed his eyes letting the knowledge that he had to do this run through his mind.

'Again,' Hermione said.

He cleared his throat again and wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans before hissing. This time to his utter joy there was a great clanging noise below the sink and the handle of the tap had begun to whirl around widely. Suddenly it stopped and the whole sink retracted into the floor, vanishing completely. In its place was a dark tunnel that fell into the ground below them, winding on for what looked like an impeccably long way.

'Are you coming?' Ron asked Hermione as he stepped forward to the edge of the tunnel.

Hermione was standing behind him looking utterly gobsmacked that Ron had been able to open the chamber at all. 'I – I didn't think you could do it,' she stammered staring at the gaping expanse before her.

'I'm not entirely bloody useless,' Ron said with a quirky grin. He offered her his hand so they could fall together, she took it. 'Jump,' he said and they both jumped into the tunnel and fell down it like it was a waterslide.

Landing with a crunch on the old bones Ron remembered clearly from last time, his senses were aroused by a hideous smell. His hand quickly shot to cover his nose but the smell was still strong. He clambered to his feet, his eyes watering from the sharp stench and looked behind him for Hermione. She was digging inside her bag and had drawn out a scarf which she wrapped around her nose to hide from the nearly unbearable reek.

'_Lumos,' _Hermione said her wand held out before and Ron reached for his, cast the same spell and then looked around.

The bones from years back were still rotting away on the floor of the large stone tunnels. The massive fall of stones that had blocked him off from Harry when they had ventured down here in the second year was also still there but a people sized hole had been created so that he and Hermione would be able to squeeze through to where he hoped to find the carcass of the dead snake.

'Through the crack?' Hermione asked him, pointing her wand at the stone wall. Ron nodded and she shrugged walking towards it. Ron was glad Hermione as being good about this, she wasn't making him second guess himself at all, she was following what he said with a hint of doubt. It was insanely reassuring that she trusted him so much that she didn't feel the need to correct him all the time or suggest over ways to do things.

Hermione climbed through the small break in the rock first and Ron quickly followed, sucking in what little he had of a stomach as he crawled through the tiny gap. They emerged in another stone corridor and Hermione sucked her breathe in looking around.

'Where do we go?'

'Straightforward, I guess,' Ron said with a shrug and led the way, his wand held high before him as he looked at the walls. The stone was damp with water and the smell was getting worse so they must be going the right way, towards the bones of the snake.

After a time of walking along the tunnel there were sticking to it came out into a large room. Ron knew it was the chamber itself because it looked oddly like a temple with pillars on either side of the room. Serpents were carved into these pillars and they curled all the way up to the wet and dripping ceiling. At the end of the room was a huge statue of an old man whose face vaguely resembled a monkey's; Ron knew the statue was of Salazar Slytherin. But at the foot of the statue was what they had come for.

A huge skeleton lay draped over the feet of the founder and that was what the stench was emitting from. Ron ran forward, his feet splashing through puddles as he neared the skeleton of the once great basilisk. The skeleton was old and yellowing but Ron was glad to see that the head was still intact and that one of the giant fangs was still lodged in the jaw. There was a pattering of feet and a cry of disgust as Hermione sat crouched down beside him, pulling the scarf closer around her nose and mouth.

She gingerly reached out and tugged at the largest tooth, the one Ron had been eyeing up. It would not budge with her soft push and Ron wasn't surprised.

'How do we get the tooth?' Hermione asked.

'Stand on the head,' Ron said gesturing towards the huge bony head of the snake. Hermione stared at him for a second and looked like she was going to suggest something else before she nodded and jumped back up to her feet and stood on the head with a look like she was frightened it would come back to life.

Ron grabbed at the tooth and pulled, he cringed as he felt and heard it moving around the basilisk's mouth. Suddenly it popped out and he fell backwards from the release of pressure. Clutching the tooth in his hands he crawled back over to Hermione who was kneeling on the stone floor and digging around in the beaded bag. She pulled out the Horcrux and slammed it on the floor.

'Who is going to stab it?' Hermione said staring down at the golden cup.

'You do it,' Ron said handing her the tooth and then sighed with irritation as she refused. 'I've already had the pleasure,' he said. 'Now, stab it and do it quickly. Last time the locket tried to stop me from doing it.'

Hermione took the tooth that looked large and dark in comparison to her pale with fright face. 'Hold the cup,' Hermione instructed Ron and he did that.

He was watching Hermione's face as she adjusted her grip on the tooth and brought her hand up over the cup. She didn't falter once as she brought her hand down quickly to stab the cup right in the centre. The cup began to shake wildly in Ron's grip; trying it's hardest to bounce away but Hermione held the tooth firmly in place and Ron held the cup too. There was no screaming or desperate attempt to push the two away, the cup simply squirmed wildly when the tooth penetrated it and then with a puff of green smoke crumbled before them.The cup melted like metal under hot flame and Hermione removed the tooth, panting as she wiped sweat from her brow even though the room was freezing cold.

'That was bloody brilliant, Hermione,' Ron said staring at the cup and then up at Hermione.

Hermione flushed and said modestly, 'it was your idea, Ron.'

'Team effort then?' Ron concluded.

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**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	19. Going Down

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Nineteen: Going Down**

After the destruction of the Horcrux, Hermione had thought it a good idea if they gather more basilisk teeth just in case they needed to do something of a mass destroy at one time. They had spent a great amount of time pulling and yanking at the remaining teeth in the yellowed skull. 

'How do we get out, Ron?' Hermione asked now that they were kneeling in the water divvying out the fangs and teeth between them.

Ron hadn't thought about that. He had just plunged head first into what had been the greatest heroic act of his life and he was glowing from how well it had worked. He hoped that the entrance to the girls' bathroom was still open, the giant gaping hole. If it was they could quite possibly get a broomstick down here.

'D'you think,' he said, 'we could summon a broomstick down here?'

Hermione looked horrified, 'you don't plan to fly out of here?' she asked in a hoarse whisper.

'Oh, bloody hell, Hermione! I can fly ok, all right?' Ron said and he knew Hermione was remembering the one time when Ron had wanted to teach Hermione to fly better, it was near the beginning of second year and it had not gone well. Ron could barely control the broom with two people on it. He was fine with one but two was a little much for him.

'Well,' Hermione said, clearing her throat, 'I suppose we could summon one down here. _Accio broomstick!' _

Ron stared at the tunnel they had entered the main chamber from, the constant _drip, drip; drip_ of water was the only thing that faltered his concentration. He sat in the wet, cold water, his breath caught in his throat, hoping that the broomstick would make it down because now, after they had finished with his Horcrux, their priority to help Harry. He needed their help and Ron needed to help him.

'Hermione, can you make it come a little bit faster?' he asked with a slight snap in his voice.

'It's coming, Ron, it's coming,' she assured him.

And sure enough a broomstick appeared, zooming towards them down the tunnel, bouncing along. Ron let out a sigh of relief because he hadn't wanted to have to scrounge around here for ages trying to find another way out. Last time Fawke's had flown out and up through the tunnel, this escape would be easier as Ron didn't have a screaming Lockheart to deal with.

The broomstick flew straight into Hermione's outstretched hands and she handed it off to Ron right away. He had to give Hermione some of his armful before he could get on and hold the broom with one hand. He was sitting astride the broom when he felt Hermione get on behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing some of the fangs into his back to hold them in place so they didn't lose any when they flew out. Before they flew off, using his free hand he dug into his pocket and pulled out his wand. '_Lumos,' _he muttered and the wand lit up extraordinarily. He had to put his wand between his teeth. He waited for a few seconds before kicking off the ground.

They rose into the air but Ron made sure that along this tunnel they didn't fly to high above the ground. His feet were skimming the stone floor, skidding through more puddles as the light from his wand led them through the first tunnel. Hermione couldn't use her wand as her hands were far too full. That was fine since Ron's burrowed wand was brighter than he had ever seen, even his old wand.

Suddenly they came out of the long tunnel, leaving the statue and skeleton behind and came upon the wall of stone. There was absolutely no way they could they squeeze along it now, they had managed singularly but together and on a broom would be impossible. Gripping the broom hard with his thighs and hoping for the best as he'd never ever done this before, Ron took his hand off the head of the broom and reached for the wand in his mouth. Thankfully the broom didn't violently shake as Ron began to guide it using only his legs, it gave a small shudder and veered off course slightly but Ron brought it back on course and slowed it down.

The only spell that came to his head to part the rock or explode it was a spell called Dissendium. It was used to part things, move statues and such. He pointed his wand at the rock wall before them and shouted, '_Dissocio_!' Behind him he heard Hermione yelp as the unaffected wall came closer and closer to them. Just as they were so close that Ron had only a second to turn away if his spell didn't work a puff off dust emitted from the wall of stone and it parted, pushing away cleanly in the middle. The parted rock left a gap in the middle that was just big enough for them to fly through.

Hermione let out a sigh of huge relief and Ron was right with her on that, it would have been hugely embarrassing if they the reason they couldn't have been there to help Harry was because they had smashed against a rock wall in the Chamber of Secrets. If Ron was going down today, if he was going to die, he at least hoped to go locked in battle or in a more stylish way. But that wasn't going to happen, Ron wasn't going to die. He'd keep that positive and upbeat attitude, it was refreshing.

Ron saw the hole that would lead them up into the bathroom and pulled sharply on the head of the broomstick when they were under it. He and Hermione were now travelling vertically with stone walls still enclosing them. A groan from Hermione and a soft clatter on the bones below announced that she had dropped a few of the fangs; Ron tightened his grip around the ones in his care. They couldn't afford to lose anymore. Suddenly light, not the blue from Ron's wand but candlelight was above them. Ron leaned forward across the broom and sped up, eager to get out of the Chamber and into the bathroom of all places.

The broomstick popped out of the hole and Ron had to slam down on it hard so that they wouldn't keep flying straight into the ceiling. He had successfully veered away from the roof and he brought them to a stop in the centre of the room. He was panting from the effort of flying one handed but he felt fantastic, that was brilliantly fun.

'You ok, Hermione?' he asked turning around and helping a surprised looking Hermione to her feet. She beamed at him and took some of the fangs from his arms and Ron saw with relief that she was still holding the mangled Horcrux in her grip.

'I'm fine,' she said dismissively, 'but Ron! That was great, you were _amazing!' _

Ron flushed and picked up the broomstick not wanting to spend too long receiving congratulations when they should be finding Harry. 'You got the broom and stabbed the cup, remember Hermione?' he said with a smile and then added, 'come on, we should find Harry.'

He and Hermione hurtled out the corridor, their arms filled to the brim with yellow, decaying teeth. After twisting and turning through corridors and along passageways, Ron had no idea where they were going but Hermione was leading, so he followed her.

As the turned a corner, Ron saw him. He let out a cry of relief and joy and would have run forward to hug Harry but his arms were impossibly full of teeth. Harry was looking dishevelled and completely out of breath as he ran to them but the smile on his face was wide.

'Where the _hell _have you been?' he barked at them.

'Chamber of Secrets,' Ron replied showing him the fangs.

'What?' Harry asked.

'It was Ron!' Hermione said, 'his brilliant idea! When you left with Luna, Ron asked what we were going to destroy the Horcruxes with since we'd lost the sword, I didn't know. But then he remembered what you said about Tom Riddle's diary! The Basilisk -'

'- what?' Harry asked again.

'Something to get rid of the Horcruxes,' Ron said with a simple modest shrug.

'But how did you get in there?' Harry asked staring at the fangs in their arms. 'You need to speak Parseltongue to get in!'

'He did!' Hermione whispered like it some great secret. 'Show him, Ron!'

Ron shot an apologetic look to Harry and let out a horrible strangled hissing noise. It wasn't even proper Parseltongue, just a stroke of luck. 'It's what you did to open the locket, I had to try a few times to get it right but in the end it worked.'

'He was amazing!' Hermione sang again.

'So ...' Harry said struggling to keep up.

'We are another Horcrux down,' Ron said. 'Hermione stabbed the cup, I though she should have the pleasure this time.'

'Hermione's right, Ron,' Harry said with a flushed smile, 'you're amazing!'

'Hardly,' Ron said quietly. 'But what happened with you?'

There was a loud explosion and Ron looked up the ceiling along with the others as dust crumbled into their faces.

'I know what the diadem looks like,' Harry said hurriedly, 'and I know where it is. He hid it exactly where I hid my old potions book; he hid it where everyone's been hiding stuff for years. He thought he was the only one who ever found the room, come on!' Harry finished and hurtled off, Ron and Hermione had to sprint down the corridor to catch up.

The walls trembled again and Ron nearly lost his balance as Harry led them through some kind of entrance and down the staircase to the Room of Requirement. The room was empty except for three people. Tonks, with her hair blazing red, Ginny whose hair was roughly the same colour and an elderly women Ron knew to be Neville's grandmother in an old moth-eaten hat.

'Ah, Potter,' Neville's grandmother said briskly like she had been waiting for him, 'you can tell us what's going on.'

'Is everyone ok?' Tonks and Ginny said together but then Ginny shot a weird look at Ron. 'What are you carrying?' she asked.

'As far as we know,' Harry said. 'Are there people still in the passage for Hog's Head?'

'I was the last to come through,' Mrs Longbottom said. 'And I sealed it off. I thought it was unwise to leave it open after Aberforth had left his pub. Tell me, Harry, do you know where my grandson is?'

'He's fighting.'

'Naturally,' Mrs Longbottom said with a proud glint in her eyes and voice, 'excuse me, I shall go and assist him.' Ron could barely keep in a giggle as she tottered off to the stairs with surprising speed for someone of her age.

'I thought you were supposed to be at your mother's with Teddy,' Harry said looking at Tonks.

'I couldn't stand it,' Tonks said her hair colour had regained its normal pink, 'I had to know – have you seen Remus?'

'He was planning to lead a group of fighters into the grounds.'

And without another word Tonks shot off, leaving the four of them there. 'Ginny,' Harry said. 'I'm sorry but we need you to leave this room for bit. Then you can come back in.'

'As if,' Ginny said as she sped out the door after Tonks.

'Ginny!' Ron yelled after her. 'OI! You have to come back in!'

'Don't worry about her,' Harry said wisely, 'she'll be fine. Come on,' he said and they hurried back up the stairs and out of the room.

They had only been in the room for a few seconds but the state of the castle had worsened considerably. The walls and ceilings were all shaking violently; dust filled the air and through the window blasts of red and green could be seen outside. The lights were so close to the castle, Ron was sure that at any minute the Death Eaters would be inside. Ron jumped as he saw Grawp thrashing around and throwing battlements at the advancing flashes of light issuing from the Death Eaters wands.

'I hope he hits some of them,' Ron said with a snarl. 'I hope he steps on them as well.'

'As long as it's none of our lot!' Ginny and Tonks were standing beside another window there wands poking out and as they watched Ginny sent a well-aimed jinx into the crowd of fighters, Tonks followed quickly with another jinx.

'Excellent aim, girl!' Aberforth yelled running along. 'It looks like they've entered the North Battlements, or just breaching them. They've got giants of their own so our fellow will have his hands full.' He sprinted back down the corridor, heading outside.

'Have you seen Remus?' Tonks called after him.

'He was duelling Dolohov,' Aberforth told her. 'I haven't seen him since!'

'Tonks,' Ginny said trying to reassure her, 'I'm sure he's ok.' But Tonks had run after Aberforth.

'Ginny,' Ron said. 'Don't do anything stupid! We'll be back in a bit,' he added as Harry grabbed his hand and pulled him along the stretch of the wall.

Harry stopped beside the door of the room and closed his eyes looking like he was thinking furiously. Suddenly a door materialised. They stepped inside as soon as it appeared. Instantly the noise of the battle outside vanished completely and there was dead silence in the room. The room was the size of a cathedral and inside it looked a little like the tall sky scraping towers that Muggle's built – hidden items of students built up these towers and they all glittered like diamonds.

'So he never realized anyone could get in?' Ron asked looking around at the scene before them. His voice was echoing around in the silence, bouncing off the towers of stuff left by long-gone students.

'He thought he was the only one,' Harry said, 'too bad for him I hide my stuff in here all the time ... this way I think, it's down here somewhere.'

They walked past a stuffed troll and Ron wasn't sure if it was real or not, they also passed the Vanishing Cabinet that Malfoy had mended last year.

'_Accio diadem!' _Hermione cried hopefully. Nothing flew through the air towards them and it seemed that this room was like the vault in Gringotts, it wasn't too keen to let its secret items go that easily.

'Let's split up,' Harry told him. 'Look for a stone bust of an old man wearing a wig and a tiara. It's standing on a cupboard and its somewhere near here ...'

Ron sped down the aisle to his left and looked through all the piles of items; he could hear Harry's footsteps echoing near him and the distant fall of Hermione's. He hadn't had the time to ask Harry how he knew about the diadem in such a general way. He looked through the collection of junk, bottles, hats, crates, chairs, weapons, books and broomsticks ... everything was in here, it was amazing. Yet the diadem was refusing to yield itself.

Softly in the distance he heard Harry's voice and an answering one. 'Harry?' he asked, 'Are you talking to someone?'

Suddenly someone in a slow and dull voice issued a spell and the shelf of books, robes, books, and other school items teetered forward and nearly collapsed onto him before Harry shouted a counter curse and steadied the shelf. Ron gulped and stared at the balancing shelf before he slowly back away from it.

Ron couldn't get back around the way he had come as the items from the shelf had fallen off and bared his escape; he had to climb over a pile of Quidditch gear to see what was going on. Once over that pile he still couldn't see who Harry was speaking too. 'Harry!' he called, 'what's going on?' Harry didn't reply and Ron saw a jet of red light shot out across the room from him.

Eventually he managed to scramble down and into the fray. What he saw was a large surprise. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were all standing wands drawn around Harry, and Crabbe lying on the floor having leapt out of the way of the red jet.

'It's that Mudblood!' Crabbe yelled seizing up his wand. '_Avada Kedavra_!' Hermione jumped aside and Harry shot a stunning spell at the oaf again but Crabbe jumped aside and knocked Malfoy's wand with him. It rolled under a mountain of books.

'Don't kill him, DON'T KILL HIM!' Malfoy roared, 'we need him!'

Ron suddenly realized that he was the only one of the three that they hadn't seen approaching yet and he could use that to his advantage. He snuck along the corridor of glistening items his wand drawn and ready to fire. Harry cast a spell at Goyle and his wand flew from his hand and under a shelf like Malfoy's, Ron saw this as his chance. He ran forward and shot a body bind curse at Malfoy but it narrowly missed and breezed past him. Crabbe spun around and fired the killing curse at Ron who luckily had already been clambering out of the way and only had to duck down to avoid the curse.

Crabbe was on him in a second and would have killed him if Ron had jumped up and ducked under the shelf before darting out the other side. Crabbe followed and cast a spell Ron had never heard before. Flames and fire licked out of the tip of his wand and came to life as they touched the window floor. They formed shapes dragons, Chimaeras and abnormally large flames were flaring towards him. Ron ran and Crabbe followed him looking as though he was trying to control the fire but actually just running away like Ron. The spell left charred items behind and weak floor as the two ran away from whatever Crabbe had started.

'Like it hot, scum?' Crabbe roared over the billowing of the flames.

'RUN!' Ron yelled at Hermione and Harry who had stopped to try and extinguish the blast.

The fire was mutating again, now huge armies of flaming serpents rose along with the dragons and Chimaeras already roaring along. The serpents rose higher than the others and swam through the piles of century old debris, feeding through their fanged mouths as they came closer and closer to them. Ron could feel the heat closing on him.

'Here!' Harry yelled and Ron turned around just in time to grab a broomstick thrown at him. Hermione jumped on the broomstick behind him and Ron flew into the air just as the flames had started to lick around his ankles. The heat and smoke was becoming overwhelming, he looked down at the fire that was consuming thousands of items hidden in desperation, banned belongings and experiments gone wrong. The heat rising up was beginning to get sickly and Ron was feeling faint as he flew towards the exit seeing Crabbe running out the door quicker than the rest of them.

Ron looked around for Harry who for some reason was flying precariously close to the flames searching below him. 'Harry, let's get out! What are you doing?' he bellowed. He had no choice but to fly back to where Harry was searching through the flames and smoke. Ron suddenly understood he was looking for bloody Malfoy.

'It's – too – dangerous!' Ron said choking the words out. He saw Harry dive and a pale hand reaching up.

'Ron!' Harry screeched, 'get Goyle!'

Ron flew forward to where Harry was and Hermione pulled the unconscious Goyle up onto the back of the broom. 'IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I'LL KILL YOU, HARRY!' Ron shrieked as their broom pitched and rolled under the added weight of Goyle. With two of them already on the broom having an extra weighty person was a stretch they couldn't really afford. As soon as Goyle was on and Hermione holding tightly, Ron flew at full pelt towards the door and into fresh air.

The broom crashed into the wall opposite the door as Ron lost the will to control it. Ron and Hermione slumped down the wall not caring or giving a second thought to Goyle. When he felt the floor beneath his hands and body Ron retched, loudly clearing the smoke from his lungs. Hermione was coughing beside him and clutching at her chest. Suddenly Harry and Malfoy burst through the doorway before Ron had even had a chance to worry about him. The same thing happened to them and after letting go of the broom they both slumped to the floor. Ron crawled over to Harry and cleared his glasses of the sooty smoke for him. Harry was panting and coughing hard as he collapsed into Ron's arms.

'C- Crabbe,' Malfoy stuttered, 'C-Crabbe.'

Ron looked over to the burnt and charred body. 'He's dead,' he said harshly.

There was a deep silence as they all regained their breath. The castle shook and banged as the fight outside escalated and a great thunder of headless figures on horses rode past, screaming and waving weapons above their necks. Ron staggered to his feet, pulling Harry up with him. More screams than those coming from the riders reached his ears.

'Where's Ginny?' Harry asked quietly.

'She'll be fine, she's my sister, she'll be fine,' Ron said to himself and Harry and Hermione. 'But blimey, do you reckon the room will still work after that fire?'

'I don't know,' Hermione said honestly getting Goyle's body to help her stand. 'Harry,' she asked, 'what's that on your arm?'

'Oh,' Harry said as if he had only just remembered that he had it know. 'The diadem,' he said. Ron peered closely to have a look and he saw a tar like substance was leaking from the tip of the crown, suddenly Ron saw it shake violently on Harry's wrist. Then it broke apart with a snap and turned to dust in Harry's fingers.

'It must be the Fiendfyre!' Hermione whispered.

'What?'

'Fiendfyre – a cursed fire – it's one of the things that can destroy a Horcrux and it worked. But I would never have dared to use it like Crabbe, it's too dangerous, how did he even know?'

'He must have learnt from the Carrows,' Harry said.

'Shame he wasn't listening when they told him how to stop it – if they even did that – if he hadn't tried to kill us, I'd be quite sorry he was dead,' Ron said with a shrug looking over at Crabbe's body.

'If we can just get at the last two Horcruxes,' Hermione whispered, 'then he can be killed.'

She whirled around drawn off by the noise of fighting coming close to them. Ron looked around and his heart filled with dread, Percy and Fred were both duelling masked men and neither of them seemed to have the upper hand. That was the only problem of having a big family; it was too many people to worry about at once. The instant Ron saw his brothers he ran forward to help and started firing any spell, curse or jinx he knew at the cloaked figures. As Percy cast a jinx at the taller of the two Death Eaters his hood fell off, revealing the face of the Minister.

'Hello, Minister!' Percy called somewhat gleefully sending a curse straight at Thickneese, who dropped his wand and clutched at the front of his robes. 'Have you heard I'm resigning?'

'You're joking, Percy!' Fred bellowed with a manic grin on his face as his Death Eater collapsed under the weight of three different stunning spells, Ron's amongst them. Thickneese, Ron saw, was on the ground with tiny spikes erupting out over his body. 'You really are joking, Perce,' Fred said and beamed at his older brother. 'I haven't heard you make a joke since you were -'

Ron screamed as the air around them exploded. Ron didn't know what had happened, all he knew was that he was flying through the air holding onto his wand as tightly as possible and that Fred had been hit full on. When he landed the pain was immense, but he shoved it aside and crawled out from under the wreckage of a wall. He saw Fred, lying on the floor with Percy already crouched beside him. Percy let out a heart wrenching moan as he touched his brother's face.

'Fred,' Ron whimpered, 'no, Fred, no.'

Percy shook Fred's shoulders and Ron touched his brother's neck trying desperately to find his pulse. His hand fell to his side when the pulse in Fred's neck couldn't be found; his heart had stopped as well. 'Fred,' Ron moaned, 'no Fred, please.' Fred didn't respond to any of their frantic cries, he lay in the piles of splintered wood with a smile still etched across his face and his eyes open their spark forever gone. Ron ghosted his hand across Fred's face and shut his eyes, tears falling into his older brother's face.

Harry's hand touched his back and Ron shrugged it off, the tears spilling freely and at a fast rate from his eyes, his silent tears of grief. His brother couldn't be dead, not Fred, not Fred, please not Fred. His mind was spinning, this couldn't have happened, it was impossible. Fred Weasley could not be dead, not his brother.

In the back of his mind the subtle and horrible knowledge that he was sparked up, Ron cried out again and leant over the chest of his brother, dampening the shirt with his tears. Percy beside him was crying as well, just as silently. Why hadn't the world stopped? Why hadn't everyone in the castle laid down their weapons and stopped fighting? But Ron knew he had to keep going, for Fred, for his family and for Harry and Hermione.

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**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	20. Assault on the Castle

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Twenty: Assault on the Castle**

Time went by devastatingly slow. He could see a curse fly by them and smash into the wall just above Fred's head; he could see the curse like it was just slowly moving past his head. He could see Harry falling down over him, pressing him against the body of Fred to shield him from anymore wayward curses. It all went in slow motion. He wondered if time was moving this slow could it possibly move slower and go backwards. Could time go back? He could hear Harry faintly yelling at Percy, begging him to do something but no one seemed too bothered with him. That was fine; Ron would stay here with Fred. 

A scream that erupted close to his ear brought him back from the slow whirl before him. Hermione had screamed and was shakily pointing her wand at a giant spider climbing in through a hole in the stone wall. The spider was of monstrous size, it's hairy legs were stepping tenderly over the bodies of the Death Eaters and coming closer to them with greed reflected in its hideous collection of eyes. Ron stood to his feet and pointed his wand straight at the thing's head and fired, his bolt of green light was joined by another red one and the spells collided and knocked the monster back through the hole he had came from.

'It brought friends!' Harry yelled to Ron who scrambled to the window and looked out at the forest. Sure enough hundreds of spiders were marching out and running at the defenders. Ron fired several stunning spells out the window and into their midst before ducking down out of sight and next to Fred again where his tears began to flow freely again.

'We need to move!' Harry bellowed and pushed Ron away from Fred and helped Percy to move him to safety behind a tapestry.

Hermione had grabbed Ron's arms and was restraining him as Percy ran off after letting out a roar with his wand raised high to chase someone. Ron pushed and pulled at Hermione trying to get her off him so he could go and help Percy, so he could find Death Eaters and kill them liked they had his brother. 'GET OFF ME!' he howled at Hermione pushing and scratching at her hands. 'Let me go!' She had the upper hand on him; she was pushing him back behind a statue and away from the curses being relentlessly fired. They were out of the blast of fire but Ron could still hear the roars of battle and the explosions of curses around them. He struggled against Hermione wrought by anger and grief.

Harry dived in behind Hermione and had to hold Ron was well. He wanted out, he wanted to follow Percy and help him. 'Let me go!' This wasn't fair, they couldn't hold him like this; he needed to go after Perce.

'Listen to me, Ron!' Harry was yelling as he grabbed two handfuls of his shirt and shoved him back against the stone wall. Hermione had released her grip once Harry had control of him and was standing wand out, staring around the corner of the statue watching the path Percy had gone down. Ron struggled against Harry; he should be going down there too. 'LISTEN TO ME!' Harry bellowed at him.

'I want to help – I want to kill them, let me go!' Ron said pushing and shoving with all his strength but Harry's determination to keep him there was stronger.

'You need to go with Hermione,' Harry was telling him but Ron could barely hear these words above the thundering crashes outside and the bangs and explosions and the constant horrifying chanting that kept plaguing his mind: Fred's gone, he's gone, Fred's gone. Revenge, he wanted revenge. Chasing another Horcrux like Harry was about to ask him too, he could tell, wasn't going to satisfy him. Revenge was what he wanted. He wanted to punish them for what he had done to his brother and then find the rest of his family, stand with him and they could fight together.

'Ron, are you listening to me?' Harry asked softly this time and he touched a hand to his cheek. Ron nearly flinched away before he remembered it was Harry speaking to him.

'Mm,' Ron said, 'I'm listening.'

'You need to go with Hermione, you two need to find the snake. I'll come with you, I need to find Voldemort.' Harry was touching and caressing his cheeks and hair as he spoke. 'Please, Ron, you need to. You will fight them, ok? You know that, to find the snake you'll have to find him, he'll be in the thick of it or he will be there soon. You have to fight to reach the snake.'

'I don't - '

'Ron!' Harry yelled at him. 'Ron, listen, you need to do this, ok? The snake, kill the snake.' Harry grabbed the sides of his head firmly and stood on the tips of toes to kiss him on the mouth. Ron pressed closely against Harry, kissing him strongly and groaning into the kiss. But Harry pulled apart before he'd even had enough of it. 'Ron, can you do that?'

Ron clasped Harry's hand in his and nodded fervently. 'Yeah, I can.'

Hermione had ducked back behind the statue. 'Harry, you need to find out where Voldemort is, because that's where the snake will be. Look inside him, Harry.'

Harry nodded and closed his eyes, his hands still tightly around Ron's. Harry's now long black, messy hair fell forward into his wet with tears eyes; he had cuts, bruises, dirt, burns and welts all up and down his exposed arms. Harry was clenching his eyes shut and grinding his teeth and other times he'd grasp hold of Ron's hand in a painful grip until eventually he opened his eyes with a gasp. While Ron had been watching Harry it seemed like all the noise of the battle had gone, vanished like it wasn't happening around them. But when Harry came back around all the noise flooded back to Ron as he had to listen to what Harry was saying.

'He's in the Shrieking Shack, with the snake and it has some sort of magical protection around it. He's just sent Lucius Malfoy to find Snape.'

Hermione looked outraged and scoffed indignantly. 'He's not even fighting, just sitting in the Shrieking Shack?' she asked.

'He doesn't think he needs to fight,' Harry said. 'He thinks I'm going to come to him. He's knows we are after the Horcruxes and the snake is one of them, so we have to get close to kill -'

'You can't go then,' Ron said horrified by the thought of Harry going in there and him being powerless to stop anything that would happen to him. 'I'll take the cloak and go, you can't go because he's waiting for you.'

'Don't be stupid, Ron! I'll take the cloak and you two stay here.'

'No! You just told me I needn't to find the snake, Harry. I'm going to do that! So, I'm coming with you. No, don't tell me I can't! I am, you need help,' Ron said. His voice had started of quiet and then gained more and more volume until he was practically yelling at Harry.

Swiftly the statue where they sheltered was pushed aside with a loud clang of metal and two Death Eaters were staring at him with huge smiles across their faces. 'POTTER!' they yelled and hissed. Ron kicked one sharply in the groin, releasing some anger and would have jumped one and beaten him to a crisp without using magic if Hermione hadn't pulled him back and yelled, '_Glisseo!' _

The stairs beneath their feet morphed into a chute and all of them hurtled down it. They were going at an intense sped that the back of Ron's shirt flew up and scraped skin of his back. He groaned and winced but there was nothing he could do to slow himself down until they reached the end of the chute. The spells the Death Eaters fired down at them flew right over their heads and completely missed but that didn't stop their attackers, they had also jumped down the chute and were zooming down after them. All three of them burst through the tapestry at the end of the chute and flew out into a corridor. As soon as they landed, Hermione spun around on her knees and turned the tapestry into concrete. A sickening thud told them that the stone wall had worked and two Death Eaters were now mashed against it.

Ron stood shakily and peered around the corner. He saw a tidal wave of desks rolling towards them and Professor McGonagall running along beside them, shepherding them. 'Get back!' Ron yelled and grabbed Harry and they flattened themselves against the wall as the desks charged by. The Professor did not see them: her hair had fallen down across her face and was sticking to a large gash in her cheek. After she vanished around the corner she heard her yell for the desks to attack. There was a noise that sounded very much like trees falling and Ron knew that the trees were attacking.

Harry slung the cloak around each of their shoulders and they were visible no more. They ran down the next staircase and appeared in an area full of duellers. The portraits either side of the duellers kept screaming advice, words of encouragement and insults to the Death Eaters some of which were masked and others unmasked. Teachers were dancing around students trying to protect them more then themselves as both tutors and pupils alike fought alongside. Ron raised his wand in an instance, trying to find a stable target to fire at but all the people were moving around so much there was a danger of hitting a fellow.

'_Wheeeeeee!' _ A great cry of glee and fun filled the air and Peeves was flying down at the attackers and was dropping potted plants on their heads, and enjoying himself to great amounts. He dropped one on Ron's head and the green tube like plants began wriggle around on his head in the most disgusting and horrible manor. He groaned as he tried to flick them off his head before anyone saw the disembodied hands and splat of plant floating in mid air each trying to dispel the other.

'Someone over there is invisible!' A Death Eater shouted, pointing across the three of them.

Ron was all too eager to pull his wand out and stun the man but Dean got there first. He had acquired a wand from somewhere and took the Death Eater's momentary distraction to fire a stunning spell at the man who collapsed backwards.

'LET'S GO!' Harry yelled and gathered the cloak tightly around them again. The three of them ran heads down through the throng of fighters trying to avoid being hit by rogue curse. It was difficult to run unnoticed as they kept slipping on the juice of the plants Peeves was still throwing down at people. When the poltergeist stopped and flew off, Ron was sure he heard him muttering something like, 'going to fetch a loo. Dump on it their heady, head, heads, nice and stinky, pongy, gooey You-Know-Poo!'

They ran towards the marble staircase in the hall and Harry stopped suddenly and looked towards the upper landing. Ron followed his gaze and saw Malfoy looking worse for wear, arguing with another Death Eater. Before Ron could stop him, Harry had stunned the Death Eater as they passed the pair. Malfoy beamed and looked around for his saviour. Ron reached out of the folds of the cloak and punched the blonde squarely in the jaw, happy with himself as Malfoy fell over backwards blood on his lips.

'That's the second time we've saved you tonight!' Ron yelled, 'and we aren't doing it again, you two-faced git!'

There were more people duelling in the entrance way, everywhere he looked people seemed to be locked into battle with hooded figures. Students ran in every direction, some running from the fray or carrying injured friends to safety. Neville caught Ron's attention as he suddenly emerged from nowhere carrying armfuls of Venomous Tentacula, which tied itself happily around the nearest Death Eater and reeled it in like fish on a hook. Neville looked absolutely triumphant, the string of bleeding cuts across his arms weren't bothering him at all as she set off again, firing curse after curse at the Death Eaters who tried to get near him. As they ran down the staircase, Ron was pelted by the emeralds of the Slytherin hour glass as it smashed into hundreds of pieces and jewels flew across the hall. Suddenly two bodies fell from above and a four legged creature raced across in front of them, tearing towards the fallen.

'NO!' Hermione yelled loudly, her voice penetrating above the noise of the explosions and crashes. She sent a jolt of light out at Greyback who Ron suddenly recognized when he stood up. Greyback was just leaning over Lavender Brown when Hermione's spell hit him in the chest and sent him soaring across the room. 'Over my dead body,' she hissed in the direction of the werewolf though no one outside the cloak could have heard it.

But just as the werewolf struggled back to his feet and Hermione looked like she was going to run out from under the cloak and kill him, a crystal ball dropped from the stairs above and cracked down on his head. Professor Trelawney was standing up above the crowds of people and dropped her balls on whom ever she so pleased. Whether she was grinning from the effort of all she was doing or because she was enjoying herself immensely, Ron didn't know nor could he tell.

Screams of terror kept assaulting his ear drums, and his heart was beating at a rate he was sure would be potentially dangerous. Monsters – human and inhuman alike – were storming the castle, blasting the work of centuries to pieces and sending red and green jets of like into every single corner of the school.

'How do we get out?' Ron yelled as they shuffled forward, desperate to find some shelter from the onslaught. But it was too late; they were knocked aside by Hagrid who had come bounded down the stairs, brandishing his pink, flowery umbrella and making it look like it was even more of a threat then the Elder Wand.

'Don't hurt 'em, don't hurt 'em!' he was yelling as he sprinted through duelling people, smashing Death Eaters aside in his quest to protect Aragog's children.

Suddenly Harry had sprinted out from under the cloak and was dashing after Hagrid madly yelling his name. Ron flung the cloak of him and shoved it to Hermione as he ran full pelt after Harry, bending awkwardly to avoid the curses and spells fired above his head. They were outside now, Ron following Harry who was following Hagrid who was following the spiders.

'Harry!' Ron yelled hoarsely. 'Harry, stop, come back!' But he froze and didn't move another step as the spiders suddenly wound around Hagrid enclosing him, and the dived. Hagrid had vanished into the cluster of spiders and was moving away with them. Ron sprinted towards Harry who was still making a feeble attempt to follow Hagrid. He dived on Harry when he was close enough, pushing him to the ground.

'Harry,' he hissed in his ear. 'What are you doing? Come on!' he yelled and staggered with little grace to his feet and pulled Harry along with him. But as he turned around he saw Hermione pointing with her wand up at a huge giant whose hand was thrust in the windows of the school like it was grabbing lollies from a stand. Harry raised his wand but Ron quickly pushed his arm down.

'Don't, Harry,' he said. 'If you stun him, he'll crush half the castle!'

'HAGGER!' Grawp had come lurching around the corner and stormed over to where he and Harry were standing, his giant foot only just missed them. An extra centimetre and they would have been crushed under his gigantic foot.

The other giant still busy taking his pick of people on the upper floor, removed his hand from the window and lurched towards Grawp. Grawp was really a tiny giant compared to this one but it didn't stop him, with a flash of his yellow brick like teeth he launched himself at the other with ferociousness that could be only be handed to a creature like him.

'Got to get out of here,' Ron mumbled to himself as he and Harry darted back over to Hermione, avoiding spells and the dangerous, deadly feet of the fighting giants.

They ran away from the giants and towards the forest but they didn't get very far even though they had a clear space between them, or not so clear. The air around them had frozen and Ron could see his breath before him but shortly he wasn't concentrating on that. Hundreds of Dementors glided out of the forest towards them. Fog swirled around them briefly blinding there view as the unseen monsters now flew closer and closer. The sounds of fighting grew still and the sounds of a silent devastation brought by the Dementors flooded the grounds. Ron gulped, feeling all happiness being sucked from him even without a kiss. He had nothing to think about to make him happy, Fred was gone.

'Patronus,' Hermione whimpered, 'cast your Patronuses.'

Ron held out a shaking wand before him and tried bleakly to concentrate on happy thoughts. _Happy thoughts, _his mind sang to him. _What happy thoughts? _Fred was gone and Hagrid had been taken by the spiders and was dead or in the process of dying and he was possibly going to lose his whole family, Harry and Hermione in one day. How could he be bloody happy!?

Slowly his mind forced him to think of Harry and his friends; it forced him to think of all the good times. Laughing, talking, weddings, a shared ecstasy with Harry, love, friendship, family ... His fingers gripped tighter on his wand and, '_Expecto Patronum_!' His terrier burst forth from his wand accompanied by Hermione's otter but Harry's stag did not join the group. Hermione's began to flicker and fade and then disappeared all together, Ron's terrier had taken to barking uselessly at the Dementors and then suddenly a silver hare, a boar and a handsome fox charged out and Ron's dog joined the chase. The four Patronuses charged at the Dementors and they scattered but regrouped. Ron looked behind him, his Patronus trying to draw off the guards of Azkaban. Luna, Ernie and Seamus had joined their small group all their Patronuses out with there with his and now Hermione's too.

'Come on Harry,' Luna said. ' ... Think of something happy.'

'Something happy?' Harry asked her looking dazed and terrified.

'Something happy,' Luna repeated. 'We're all still here ... fighting together. Come on, now ...'

A silver light flickered from the end of Harry's wand as he tried. He closed his eyes and tried harder, then a stag flew from the wand and jumped forward to join the gang and then the Dementors dispersed.

'Thank you,' Ron said shakily as Seamus squeezed his shoulder comfortingly. 'Can't thank you enough ... you just saved us.'

'No problem, mate,' Seamus said with a grin.

'Ron,' Luna said hurriedly. 'Can you tell us where Dean is? Seamus and I have been – and Ernie too - looking; he doesn't have a wand ...'

'In the castle,' Hermione answered for him. 'He's ok, he has a wand now.'

Luna and Seamus both looked deeply relieved but had no chance to say anything else as the ground trembled under their feet again. Another giant had come lurching out of the darkness, brandishing a huge club and swinging it before him, not caring who he hit. Before Ron ran off, he felt a hand tug at his shoulder. It was Seamus.

'Stay safe, mate,' he said and squeezed Ron's shoulder again before he ran off with Luna and Ernie back into the battle to find Dean.

'The Whomping Willow!' Harry shouted. 'GO!'

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**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	21. Another Way

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Twenty-one: Another Way**

Ron squirmed into the earth passage just behind Harry, following the light of his wand. The passage through the Whomping Willow's roots was a lot tighter and much more of a squeeze then he remembered. The tunnel ceiling was very low and four years back they had had to double over to walk through and now there was little space to crawl through. He followed close behind Harry expecting to see a barricade blocking them at any minute. For if Voldemort was indeed at the end of this tunnel, surely someone would have mentioned the passage under the willow tree to him.

The tunnel began to arch upwards and Ron was certain he had seen a flicker of light above Harry's head. Hermione had seen it to for she reached up past Ron and grasped Harry's ankle.

'The cloak,' she whispered to him, 'put the cloak on.' She handed it to Ron who passed it to Harry and smiled when Harry squeezed his hand before taking the cloak. There was so much Ron wanted and felt he needed to say to Harry, right now. And that was a problem, for now wasn't really the right for them to stop and have a cosy chat. It was the worse time possible but Ron just wanted a second or two to tell Harry he loved him. He had a sinking feeling that Harry would do something stupid any minute now and he wouldn't get the chance to say what he so desperately wanted to.

It was difficult getting the cloak over Harry in the confined spaces and Ron had to help slip it over his head, and then suddenly Harry vanished as he managed to get the slippery fabric over his rear. The light from his wand went out like a candle in wind so softly he hadn't even heard the spell begin issued, Harry was speaking that quietly. They shuffled along together for several more feet before a soft cool voice startled them and stopped him dead in his tracks. He felt Harry's arm reach out and grab him pulling him forward. Ron's only choice was to follow Harry's invisible body, as he couldn't turn back without a tussle with Hermione and he couldn't go forward without being killed by Voldemort.

He was pressed against Harry, his pale hand clutching against the glossy fabric when he heard the voices that made Harry tense also. Ron could see nothing but the small gasp that emitted from Harry's throat it was obvious that he could see well enough into the room.

'It's him,' he muttered softly to Ron who had to strain his eyes to hear.

'Who else is there?' he asked just as softly since he heard more than one voice.

'I see the snake, and Snape,' Harry added with the slightest bit of loathing. He had used more disgust in Snape's name than in You-Know-Who's or the snake's. 'Shh,' Harry instructed him and both listening as best they could.

'Let me find the boy.' That was Snape's voice, pathetic and grovelling. 'Let me bring you Potter. I know I can find him, my Lord. Please, my Lord.'

'I have a problem, Severus.' Ron shuddered against Harry was the cold from that soft voice swept over him. It was terrifying even when he couldn't see Voldemort.

'What it is, my Lord?'

'The Elder Wand,' Harry hissed grabbing at his leg. 'Ron, he has the Elder Wand.'

'My Lord,' Snape said stupidly and blankly. 'I do not understand. You - you have preformed extraordinary magic with that wand.'

'Suck up,' Ron muttered yet straining to hear more. He wondered why Voldemort just didn't kill the sod and rid himself of an unnecessary problem. Snape now, seemed more trouble than he was worth. If Voldemort didn't kill him, Ron would gladly for Fred's revenge.

'No,' Voldemort said. 'I have preformed my usual magic, though that itself is extraordinary. This wand has not revealed its wonders as promised. I feel no difference in this wand and the one I obtained from Ollivander all those years ago. No difference.'

Ron felt Harry tensing and gasped slightly. Immediately, Ron touched a hand to his back softly and massaged it gently, making no noise. Harry seemed to calm a little. Ron wondered how much fury Voldemort was in. Though his voice was calm and musing, Harry's scar was paining him.

'I have thought long and hard, Severus,' Voldemort said and Ron felt Harry buckling back against him, in more searing pain. Ron wanted to take that pain away. 'Do you know why I have called you back from battle?' he continued talking to the headmaster.

'No my Lord,' Snape said. 'But I beg you to let me return, let me find the boy and bring him to you.'

'You sound like Lucius, and all the others. You don't understand the boy like I do. He won't be able to fight with his friends for much longer; they are all dying on his behalf. He will find me; he will want it to stop so he will look for me. He will come, Severus, you have such little faith in the boy.'

'But what if he is accidentally killed by one of the others, my Lord?'

'My instructions to the others have been perfectly clear. They must capture Potter and not harm him. Kill his friends, yes but not to kill him.'

'Let me bring the boy -'

'I have told you, no!'

Harry sagged under the anger of his words and Ron held him up with an arm under his stomach and the other still resting softly and comfortingly against his back.

'No, Severus. My concern at the moment is what will happen when I meet the boy. Why did both my wands fail when directed at Harry Potter? Why I have not been able to kill the boy with experience level to that of a squib?'

'I – I cannot answer, my Lord.'

'Can't you? My wand of yew did everything I asked it, except kill Harry Potter. It failed twice, twice, Severus, twice. When under the torture of two twin cores Ollivander told me to take another's wand. I did so, but Lucius' shattered upon meeting Potter's.'

'I have no explanation.'

'I sought another wand, a greater and better wand, the Elder Wand, the Wand of Destiny, the Deathstick. I took it from its previous master; I took it from the grave of Albus Dumbledore.'

'Let me find the boy.'

'All this night I have been on the brink of victory, Severus and no you shall not go to the boy! While on the brink of victory, I have sat here wondering why this wand will not work for me. Wondering why is refuses to do what it ought to, why it will not perform as legend says. Now, Severus, I think I have found the right answer. I did not summon you here to discuss how my forces are bringing down the school; I did not want to discuss Potter with you. You have been a great and loyal servant to me,' he said, his soft voice growing and falling where emphasis was required in his words. 'I need something from you, Severus.'

'Anything, my Lord.'

'The Elder Wand will not serve me properly because I am not the right master of it. The Wand belongs to the wizard who killed the last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. If you had let the Malfoy yelp kill the old man like he had his orders to, I wouldn't have to kill such a great servant of mine. Yet while you live the Elder Wand cannot truly be mine. I regret what must happen, but it must.'

'My Lord!' Snape cried.

'It cannot be any other way, perhaps now you are regretting your decision not to let Malfoy kill him? What I order is meant to be carried out by who I gave the order too, Severus. This is happening at your own folly. I must master the wand, master it and I master Potter at long last.'

There was silence for a few nerve racking seconds and then a yell followed by a devious hiss that was long and drawn out like the speaker was savouring the noise. There was another terrible scream and Harry seemed to be able to support himself better.

'I regret it,' Voldemort spoke slowly. A cloak swished in the room and with a hiss it sounded like Voldemort had abandoned his hide away to take charge of the situation above.

Harry scrambled around in front of him, pulling the cloak of his head and kicking at the crate that blocked their entrance to the shack.

'Harry, no, leave him, Harry no!' Ron yelled leaving all efforts to be quiet behind as Harry crashed down into the room. Ron followed quickly, drawing his wand in case. Snape was lying on the floor blood pooling around his greasy head and his whole body was shaking like he was having some kind of fit. Snape's fingers were clutching at the wounds in his head and he stared wide eyed at Ron with the last ounce of his strength until Harry slipped out of the invisibility cloak and bent over him.

As Harry bent over him Snape seized the front of his robes and pulled the boy close. Ron tightened his grip on his wand and stepped forward, looming behind Harry in a threatening way so that Snape could see that he wouldn't hesitate in the slightest. Not that it would matter, the man was already dying.

'Take it ... take it ... take,' Snape said in a terrible rasping voice that gurgled out his mouth with more blood. Something silvery leaked from Snape, something that wasn't blood. It was gushing from his mouth and ears. Suddenly Hermione appeared beside Ron, a flask in her hand that she handed to Harry.

The silvery substance was lifted into the flask via Harry's wand, and by then Ron couldn't bear to look at Snape.

'Look ... at ... me ...' Snape commanded Harry. It seemed Harry couldn't stand it either.

But no last words were given, not even a dying secret and seconds later Snape slumped back to the floor, his black eyes wide open and a trail of blood trickling down from the corner of his mouth.

Harry remained sitting on the floor of the shack beside Snape and Ron moved forward to tell him they had to leave when Hermione caught his shoulder, forcing him back.

'Let him have a second,' she said.

A cold voice sung through the air and Ron whirled around, his knuckles white around his wand as he stared out wildly for Voldemort, thinking he had come back into the room. But the people in it were still the three of them and Snape's body. Ron realized Voldemort was talking to Hogwarts, Hogsmeade and whoever else cared to listen about how he was to bring about their downfall. He sounded so close like he was breathing down their necks or hissing in their ears.

'You have fought,' his cold high voice echoed around them, 'valiantly. You have showed bravery which is something the Dark Lord knows how to value. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this as every drop of magical blood is a waste, a loss. I command my forces to retreat immediately for I have mercy. You have one hour, dispose of your bodies with dignity and treat your wounded.

'I speak now, directly to Harry Potter. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the forbidden forest if you do not come within that hour the battle commences and everyone dies. This time I will enter the battle myself, Potter, and I will find you. I will punish every last man, woman or child who tries to conceal you from me. You will be found, Potter.'

Ron shook his head frantically looking to Harry and knowing the fear and dread in his eyes was obvious. 'Don't listen, Harry.'

'Come on,' Hermione said. 'Let's get back to the castle; it'll be all right, Harry.'

Inside the Great Hall a sight meet him that was almost unbearable. The bodies of the dead were lined in the hall, either resting under cloaks or on top of them. He saw his family standing over the body of Fred, the red hair standing out in their pale faces. His mother was kneeling down beside Fred and his father was standing beside her with a hand on her back, drawing circles. He looked for the others; he was George, Ginny, Bill, Fleur and Percy. All accounted for apart from Charlie who wasn't here. As Hermione ran forward to hug Ginny, Ginny moved and the bodies of those lying next to Fred were visible too. He choked back a cry. Not Tonks and Lupin too. He hoped they were just sleeping, a childish wish or a fantasy, but he hoped for it nonetheless.

Ron didn't like the depth of emotion flying through his body. Maybe having the emotional range of a teaspoon could be a good thing, and then he wouldn't have to feel all of this pain. The urge to fall down to the ground and bawl like a three year old was immense and slowly taking him over, but he forced himself to stand tall. He wanted to run to his mother and hug her and then George, telling them both it was ok. But it wasn't ok.

His family was beckoning to him. Percy waving him over, George shot him a sad mournful look that could have passed for a smile for the time. But Harry was standing a few feet away from him, and as much as Ron wanted to go to his family and by with them for the short hour they had, he couldn't let Harry run off on his own and find Voldemort. He stared at his parents, siblings and friends for a few seconds before shaking his head softly and moving beside Harry.

'What are you doing?' Harry asked him. He had begun to descend the stairs at a run and Ron had had to sprint after him.

'I'm coming with you.'

Harry broke into a run and Ron with him. 'Go back,' he said panting. 'I'm just going to Dumbledore's office for the memory Snape left. You don't have to come.'

'Harry, do you honestly trust those Death Eaters?' Harry shook his head. 'Someone needs to stand guard while you do that.'

'You should be with your family.'

'I've chosen to be with you now; they have each other for the moment. I'll see them again when this over.'

Harry didn't say anything to this but only increased his sped. Ron was glad for the unspoken agreement. The castle was completely empty and Ron supposed everybody had moved down to the great Hall to mourn. He and Harry ran without stopping and as they ran, Ron eyed the flask with the silvery memory in Harry's hand. He didn't know why Harry was going to Dumbledore's office to look at the memory Snape left him, and now of all times too. But maybe Snape had given the memory to him for a reason; perhaps there was a secret Harry had to know that Snape had in his memory. Ron frowned, why that traitorous prick would try and help them was anyone's guess.

Harry, with Ron close at his heels did not slow his relentless pace until they neared the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to the office. Harry stopped in front and looked puzzled at the statue, Ron nearly crashed into Harry when he stopped at the entrance.

'Password?' the statue croaked.

'Dumbledore!' Harry cried suddenly and like the name had just popped into his mind. But amazingly the statue creaked, and slide aside revealing the spiralling stair case that led up into the confinements of the Head's office. 'Come on, then,' Harry said beckoning for him to follow.

'Shouldn't I stand guard outside?' Ron asked.

'No.' Harry shook his shaggy hair. 'I'm going to have my head stuck in the Pensieve for I don't know how long, so you should be inside with me.'

'In the memory?' Ron asked horrified. That was the last thing he wanted. He just wanted to make sure Harry was ok and he really did not want to go into any memory that belonged to Snape.

'No,' Harry snapped a little impatient, 'in the office.'

Inside the room, Ron found that everything remained the same and nothing had changed even in the slightest. But all of the old Headmaster's or Mistresses that used to occupy the portraits that dotted the walls of the room were gone. Ron remembered the portraits yelling out advice to the students and knew that was probably what the Head's had been doing, running along and protecting their castle as best they could.

Harry had crossed to a cabinet and was pulling out a great stone basin with runic cravings around the rim and down the side giving the item an old and very respective look. Ron hurried over to help Harry carry the Pensieve to Dumbledore's old desk. When the retreat was safely on the desk Harry poured the contents of the flask into the basin and Ron watched in amazement as the memory swirled around with silver glare and unearthly glow.

Without warning Harry plunged headlong into the water and Ron was splashed by his urgency. Groaning and wishing Harry had warned him before he'd done that, Ron stared into the Pensieve at Harry. Harry looked pale and almost ghost like as he watched with wide eyes at whatever scene was taking place before him. There was nothing Ron could do to assist Harry so he glanced around the room.

He was surprised to find that Fawke's perch was still sitting by the invitingly comfortable chair. The room hadn't changed at all and he would have thought that with Snape as Headmaster the office would have under gone some serious redecorating. He had expected to see dark hangings and maybe even a poster of the Dark Mark in the corner of the room, extreme stuff. He wouldn't have wanted to come in if the room was filled with horrible things like that; in fact it was a relief for the room to be so similar.

As he had no idea how long Harry would take inside the Pensieve, he crossed to the comfortable looking chair that was behind the Headmaster's desk and sat in it, getting himself comfortable. If Professor Dumbledore was still here today Ron wouldn't have dreamed of ever sitting in his chair. But Snape was the current Headmaster, well the latest anyway and it seemed it would be a good idea to have someone who was on the right side to sit in the chair. Ron didn't really know what his mind was blabbering about, he was tired and he wondered how Harry felt. Harry had been going at full pelt since the Gringotts heist, they all had been. But Harry had plenty more mental trauma to add. It was difficult for them all. At least the chair was comfortable.

After a long while there was a great deep intake of breath and a clang as Harry staggered out of the Pensieve. Ron caught the sad and deep look Harry threw him before he trudged over to the desk next to Ron.

'What did you see?'

'Plenty,' Harry said collapsing into the chair beside Ron. 'Snape loved my mother, and I'm meant to die.'

'_What?_' Ron asked flabbergasted at how easily Harry was going to give up. Harry wasn't going to die. 'You will not die, Harry,' he said strongly and grabbed Harry's shoulders to emphasize his point.

'Yes, I will,' Harry said with a laugh and yet he sounded like he was speaking in cold blood. 'It's all in the plan, their plan. Dumbledore's plan, I'm only meant to live as long as the quest for the Horcruxes took. I saw their plans in the Pensieve. I have to die, Ron. It's the only way he'll be stopped.'

'Harry!' Ron bellowed angry at how easily Harry was about to give himself up. 'You don't have to die, there has to be another way!'

'There isn't, Ron.'

'What's his master plan, what's Dumbledore's plan for you, Harry? Aberforth was right; Dumbledore shouldn't have given this mission to you. He can't ask you to die!'

'I have to.'

'What's the plan, tell me the plan! Hermione – _we _can all figure out a better way to end this. Harry, you don't need to die. You can't die, please don't.'

'I can't tell you, Ron.'

Harry jolted out of the chair, without another word, smile, kiss or anything to Ron and stooped low picking up his Invisibility cloak which he had with him ever since Hermione had handed it back in the tunnel. He vanished and Ron screamed with anguish. He jumped out of his seat and ran after Harry whose footsteps he could hear falling hard and fast as he ran down the corridor. Ron was sprinting after him as Harry raced towards the exit of the castle. At times Ron wasn't sure if he was in front, behind or beside Harry but all he knew was that Harry couldn't do this and that there had to be another way for this to stop.

Finally just before the marble staircase he felt the shimmer of a cloak around his fingers and tackled Harry to the ground, sitting on his waist so the boy couldn't run off and kill himself. Ron whipped the cloak away from Harry's face to reveal him looking very wild-eyed and flushed from the mad chase.

'I have to go alone, Ron,' Harry said trying to persuade him to go. 'There isn't another way! No one else should die for me, I need to end it!'

'I don't care!' Ron snarled down at him. 'I don't care! You can't die, Harry! It's not fair if you die! Please don't die, you can't! Merlin, there has to be another way ... you don't have to be the hero and always make the ultimate sacrifice! There has to be another way.' He couldn't help the thin trail of tears that had begun to roll down his face splashing down onto Harry's lips.

'There isn't anything left to live for! Everyone's dead, dying or will be, Ron. And it's my fault.'

'What about me?'

'What about you?'

'You still have me,' Ron said rubbing the tears away from his eyes.

'Oh, Ron,' Harry said completely forgetting his new mission. Harry sat up so he wasn't lying against the carpet anymore. 'You should understand I have to do this. I can't let you die for me.'

'It's bloody madness, Harry! Of course I can't understand it.'

Harry pushed him off his lap completely and stood on his knees before him, gathering the cloak in his arms. 'I need to go, it's a plan. If I don't do this your whole family will die and everybody who hasn't yet.' Harry reached out and touched his red hair, trailing a hand down his hair stained cheek. Harry pressed his lips strongly against his in a flurry before he stood and slipped the cloak around his shoulders.

'You need to tell Neville about the snake,' Harry said sounding so much more like himself and it was a relief to Ron to hear him speaking normally. 'If – if you and Hermione can't do it, someone else should know it has to be killed.'

Ron nodded fitfully while trying to hold back tears and a need to yell at Harry for his stupidity. 'I love you, Harry, so much,' he finally croaked out. He wasn't sure if Harry had run off the second he had told him to share what he knew with Neville or if he was still there.

'I love you too, Ron,' Harry said from somewhere before him.

Ron heard him walk away, the pounding of his feet echoing through the empty corridors and pattering down the start of the marble stairs. He covered his eyes with his hand and let out a choked sob before wiping his eyes clean and swallowing hard to get rid of the lump in his throat. He bravely stood shakily to his feet and followed down the marble staircase. He wouldn't follow Harry to see him die after an attempt to stop it; he'd find Neville and tell him about Nagini before finding his family and Hermione. And then they'd all fight. He'd kill that snake.

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**Please review! It honestly only takes 30 seconds and it means a lot to me. So please?**


	22. The Last Resistance

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A Consistent Want  
Part Twenty-two: The Last Resistance**

Slowly Ron ventured down the stairs. At the foot of the marble staircase Hermione ran over to him, arching on the balls of her feet and staring behind him. She was looking for Harry, Ron knew it and now he would have to the break the news of what he'd done to here. She'd ask him any second.

'Where's Harry?' she said turning back to Ron and glaring at him like he'd done something wrong.

'I couldn't stop him,' Ron said his eyes on the ground. He was ashamed with himself that he hadn't been able to stop Harry. 'You know how he is, Hermione, completely unstoppable.'

'Where has he gone?'

'He's gone to find him. He went to look at the memory Snape left him and then rushed off to find Voldemort; I couldn't stop him, Hermione. I'm sorry,' he said and truly meant it.

'You let him go off on his own?' she asked him furiously, glaring him with her hands on her hips and creating an altogether frightening image.

'I couldn't stop him!' Ron yelled at her and in the quiet scene people turned to stare at him for his outcry. He looked around at of the people staring his way and stepped closer to Hermione. 'Do you know where Neville is?'

'He's outside, I think, why?' Hermione asked.

'Harry asked me to tell him about the snake, so if something happens to us, he can, you know, deal with it,' Ron was with a creaking voice.

Leaving Hermione without saying another word he headed for the front doors. He was half expecting a member of his family to come out from the Great Hall and stop him but he was uninterrupted. Outside in the cold grounds, Ron stopped briefly to look around for any sign of Harry. But he must have already reached his destination as the hour was nearly over, or he was still trudging along invisibly. Craning his neck one last time around the grounds, and straining his ears, he decided that since Harry couldn't he seen or heard it was impossible to follow him. He was being a hypocrite, he had told Harry not to give up so easily and here he was giving up on trying to find Harry and help him. But at least he wasn't giving up on the fact that Harry would live, somehow. Harry had to live.

He saw Neville helping Oliver Wood carry a small body back to the castle. As they approached, Neville stepped away from Oliver and gave the body to his care and then Ron saw who it was. Little Colin Creevey - under age but still fighting for Harry and he looked so small and pale now. This is what Harry had meant when he said that now more people couldn't die for him. People who had years and years ahead of them had died, people who had just begun families together had died, people who needed to live had died.

But they weren't just fighting for Harry and it was something the boy had realized, Ron thought now that he should have told him what everyone was fighting for. Sure, he was fighting for Harry but the rest were fighting for freedom, a life away from fear and to rid the future of Voldemort. They were fighting _with _Harry not for him. Harry was a figurehead in the fight, someone who had defeated Voldemort before and everyone was looking up to him because he was such a leader. They were fighting with him.

'Neville,' Ron said jogging after him as Neville set off back down the path to find more bodies.

Neville stopped and spun around on the steps that led further into the grounds. It was nearly four in the morning and the chilly breeze brushed around his shoulders and chilled him to the bone. This stillness Ron felt in the air was like something was holding its breath and shortly a great release would come and then it would truly begin.

'We could really do with some Felix now, huh, Ron?' Neville asked as he leaned down over another body and sighed with regret.

'I'd give it all to Harry,' Ron said still standing on the steps and not wanting to approach the cluster of bodies in case he saw someone he knew. He didn't want more heartache, not when he had a job to do. 'Every last drop,' he added bitterly and sniffed loudly.

'Are you ok, Ron?' Neville asked standing up straight to look at Ron with concern. 'Where's Harry?' he said looking behind him like Hermione had done as if he expected to see Harry hurrying down the path towards him.

When Ron remained silent and didn't answer, Neville nodded and spoke again, 'He's gone to find him, hasn't he?'

'Yeah,' Ron said. If Harry had not wanted anyone else to know where he was going he shouldn't have told Ron where he was going. For Ron had been stuck to Harry's hip the moment they arrived back at the school and anyone was bound to notice the boys absence from each other. 'He said I couldn't come.' He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. 'Do you need a hand?' he asked gesturing towards the bodies.

'No,' Neville said. 'They are all Death Eaters, if Voldemort wants their bodies he can come and get them himself but somehow I doubt he will.' Neville walked back over to Ron and stepped onto the stairs beside him. 'He's handing himself over, isn't he?'

'All part of Dumbledore's stupid plan,' Ron muttered fiercely kicking at a plant that hadn't been destroyed in the first battle. 'He wanted me to tell you something.'

'What?'

'Voldemort has a huge snake,' Ron said, 'Nagini, have you heard of it?'

'Yeah, heard of it but what about it?'

'It has to be killed. Hermione knows about it as well, but just in case anything happens to the two of us, you should know. It has to be killed.'

'If I get the chance I'll kill it.'

'Cheers mate,' Ron said bleakly. He clasped Neville on the shoulder before he walked back up towards the castle.

His feet dragged as he walked through the Entrance Way towards the Great Hall to find his family. He felt like it was over, if Harry died what would be left of Ronald Weasley? He didn't think it would be possible for him to continue on without Harry but he'd find a way. He and Hermione would have to rely solely on each other. It would be difficult for anyone who knew Harry. Did Harry know how much Ron loved him? Sometimes he felt like Harry didn't really know how much he truly did. Being in love with Harry was a painful experience at the best of times but it was one of the best feelings Ron had ever had in his life. He loved him so much and even death couldn't change that. He wondered if there was life after death.

'RON!'

He turned around to see his parents running towards him at a brake neck sped. He didn't shun them off like last time to go with Harry, instead he left himself be engulfed in a huge hug from his mother. His mother pulled him close to her and Ron could feel she was shaking with relief. She was squeezing him so tightly he found it difficult to breath, but he liked the comfort. After his mum let him go his father pulled him into a quick hug before patting his back and smiling gently.

George was standing a few feet away with Angelina and Katie, and Oliver was now kneeling next to Fred. George's face was stained and slick with tears and Angelina looked like she couldn't stop crying, Katie was staring at the ground completely lost for words and emotion. Ron looked around to see if he could see Percy, Ginny, Bill or Fleur. Percy and Ginny couldn't be seen but he was sure he saw a tuft of hair down the end of the hall and he assumed that had to be Percy. Bill and Fleur were helping injured people.

'I'm sorry about Fred, mum,' Ron choked out as the memories of the explosion and then Fred's lifeless body swarmed back to him.

'Let's not talk about it now, Ron,' his mother said dabbing her eyes. 'Where has Harry gotten too, surely he's here somewhere?'

Ron couldn't tell his mother where Harry and had gone and what he was going to do. She would make a huge fuss, have a fit and then everyone in the castle would be going down to relieve Harry from the Dark Lord's clutches. If the plan Harry had mentioned would work, he didn't need any interference. 'He's in the common room, mum,' he lied. 'He's looking for something up there, I don't know what it is but you'd better leave him alone.' He coughed awkwardly. 'Have you seen Hermione and Ginny?' He saw his father giving him an idle look like he didn't quite believe what his son had just told him but Ron put on his best 'believe me' face and no remarks came from his words.

'I think Ginny is outside, Hermione may be with her.'

Ron nodded. He didn't want to go outside again in case he did actually end up running through the grounds and trying to find Harry. As much as he wanted to do it he couldn't because what if he ruined the plan? Harry wanted the plan to succeed so much he thought his own life was expendable. His mother placed an arm on his shoulder and together the three of them walked back to side of the Great Hall where his family had been sitting. It was near Fred and was apparently their place now.

There he saw Charlie. 'Charlie,' he croaked out the greeting. 'When did you get here?'

'Just after Voldemort's message,' his older brother muttered into his hands. 'Fred ...'

'I know.'

'Where's Harry, I've seen Hermione,' he added. 'She's fine but where's Harry?'

'Common room,' Ron murmured as he sat down beside his brother relishing in the small amount of relaxation. 'He's looking for something.' He had decided when he'd told his mother that he'd adopt this as his new lie for Harry's whereabouts until people started to notice that he wasn't back then he'd tell the truth.

'Oh,' Charlie grunted. 'Ok.'

'Want a drink, Ron?' The Irish lilt filled his ears and he looked up to see Seamus standing before him a goblet of water in his hand. He thrust it forward to Ron. 'I swear water's never tasted better,' he added as Ron reached up for it.

'Thanks,' Ron said and took a great long gulp of the drink. 'Is everyone ok?' he asked.

'Dean's fine, Luna's fine, and Lavender's sort of fine – she was pretty shook up when she fell from the balcony and Greyback charged at her. The Patil twins are fine, everyone's fine. _Jays_, Ron,' he muttered sitting down next to him and smiling at Charlie. 'Fred,' he muttered and that was all.

'I know,' Ron repeated again. 'I know.'

'Are Harry and Hermione alright, I haven't seen them since the Dementors at the Whomping Willow?'

'Yeah, Hermione's fine and Harry's ...' he paused but hurried on when he saw Seamus looking nervously at him. 'Harry's fine.'

'Excuse me,' Charlie muttered and heaved himself to his feet, stumbling away towards Professor McGonagall.

'Where are Hermione and Harry?' Seamus asked scanning the hall quickly and not finding them.

'Hermione's with Ginny outside somewhere and Harry's looking for something in the dorm.' Ron sighed and took another long drink out of the goblet. His thirst had been quenched and he was glad Seamus was talking to him because it was taking his mind of Harry and what was happening to him now. He should have followed, he should have followed Harry, Merlin, why didn't he?! Because Harry had the cloak and he would have run away anyway. He pulled his knees up, rested an arm across them and laid his head against his arm, the goblet in his free hand.

'Is he really?' Seamus asked.

'Yeah.'

'_Jays_, we both know you aren't very good at lying. Where is he really?'

'Right now, I don't know,' Ron said seriously and completely truthfully. He looked across to Seamus who was looking back at him with sympathy. 'Yeah,' Ron muttered. 'He left to find him.'

Seamus didn't say anything except take the goblet from Ron's hand and take a drink himself. Ron yawned and leaned back against the wall, completely exhausted. It had been a rather tiring day and at about four – nearly five in the morning there looked to be more to come. So sleep, Ron decided was possibly a very good idea for however long he could have it.

At points he was sure he fell asleep but other times he was just sitting with his eyes shut thinking about the events that had taken place yesterday. He didn't get a very good sleep though, whenever he did shut his eyes someone came and sat down next to him, sparking him out of the beginnings of a nap. But Ron didn't talk to them, he pretended to be asleep. However, Seamus did sit by his side for the long wait and Ron was certain by the quiet snores that he Irish had fallen asleep and had a better one than him.

It was only when a voice crashed down against his eardrums and pounded through him like a banging of drums that his eyes shot open. Hermione was sitting next to him looking terrified as she stared around madly for the speaker and Seamus was beginning to come around from sleep also. Ron knew that voice, that deep, magically magnified voice, the deep yet nasal voice that belonged to Voldemort. He bit his lip so hard he drew a spotting of blood. Voldemort had most likely come back to flaunt what he had done to Harry. If Harry was dead there was no hope. He swallowed the lump in his throat and closed his eyes trying to calm himself. Mourn later, fight now.

'Harry Potter is dead,' the cold voice spoke. Ron cringed and it felt like someone had taken hold of his heart and lungs and squeezed tightly. 'He was killed as he ran away, trying to save himself while you died for him in here.'

'_Liar,' _Hermione hissed next to him. She had stood shakily to her feet and Ron followed hoping up quickly after her.

The crowds parted as they pushed through, people had gathered at the entrance of the hall to try and see if they could see if the news was true. Many of them held wands and had furious expressions on their faces. Ron's grip changed to one surprisingly strong on his wand as he and Hermione found they had pushed through far enough and were standing at the front lines along with Professor McGonagall and many other Professors and all Harry's friends.

'We bring you his body as proof he is gone. No magic can bring him back now. Your hero is gone. The battle is won. You have lost many fighters and your numbers cannot compare to my forces. There must be no more war, anyone who continues to resist will be slaughtered, man, woman, or child, it does not matter to me. Come out of the castle now and kneel before your new master. Come face your new master and we shall rebuild together, anew.'

'He's lying!' Ron bellowed to the people behind. 'Don't listen to him.'

'Don't go to him!' Hermione yelled alongside him. She had clasped her hand in his firmly. Though they did not face the people and remained standing staring out into the unyielding darkness before them, they heard ripples of talk behind them. No one moved. 'Don't do what he says!'

'We'll fight!' Professor McGonagall roared beside them. This comment was met with great upheaval and many people cheered. 'He wants to show us Harry, so he will come to us. And we will be ready for him. Wands out,' she instructed.

They waited for a few minutes that felt very long and tedious to Ron who was dancing on his feet, jumping from the right to the left as he waited for the bastard Death Eaters to show. Eventually out of the darkness hooded figures could be seen marching forward in a messy bunch but as they neared the castle the first line branched out into a straight barrier and stood strong. Ron could make out the other lines of Death Eaters behind the first, some cloaked and some unmasked.

'Not yet,' Professor McGonagall whispered and her instruction was carried through the people.

A tall figure surged forward from the Death Eaters ranks. It was the tall figure of Hagrid, his face and body badly cut up but still the same. In his arms he was supporting the body of Harry, frail and limp.

'NO!' Professor McGonagall let out a cry of what sounded like anguish but when Ron turned around to face her she was pushing some people back behind her. People who had wanted to charge right away and get themselves killed in the process.

Voldemort came forward, smiling and looking proud of himself and his followers like he had conquered the world in a day. Well, not quite. Wasn't there always that last resistance, the ones who never gave up and always fought to the end? This was them, Ron thought, no matter how cheesy it sounded; they were the last resistance.

Voldemort stroked the top of the snake's head and Ron scowled, his hand tightened against the wood in his palm. Hermione tensed beside him and he knew that she wanted to lash out and strike it down just like he did. But yet both of them kept still not bearing to look at Harry's body and keeping their eyes glued to the snake. Voldemort thought he had won, he hadn't, not yet.

'NO!'

This was the unison cry of the Weasley's, but without him. They had all cried out at once when they had laid eyes on the unmoving body of Harry. It seemed this second loud outcry acted as a stimulant and suddenly everyone seemed to be yelling and screaming abuse and some just screaming. But Ron kept quiet, he bit his lip down, he had to finish the snake. One of them had to finish the snake off.

'SILENCE!' Voldemort cried and then he waved his wand a decorative snake flourished from the tip hissing down at them all. It wouldn't hurt them unless Voldemort wanted it too, it was just for show. And right now, Ron guessed, the man wanted a show. He wanted them to grovel before him, to accept his leadership and to join him. The words "last resistance" sprung to Ron's mind again and he knew that none of the survivors would do such a thing.

'It is over! Set him down Hagrid; place him at my feet, where he belongs.'

The great form of Hagrid lumbered forward and Ron caught a glimpse of his face in the light from the castle. It was red, shiny and wet from crying. Hagrid placed the body at Voldemort's feet and was forced to remain with the Death Eaters by the wand of Bellatrix Lestrange who snarled at him.

'You see?' Voldemort asked them. 'The golden hero has gone. He has left you to join me or die. Your saviour has gone. Harry Potter is nothing, except the boy who relied on others to die for him! '

'He beat you!' Ron yelled finally unable to retrain any of his emotions. The yelling and screaming started up again around him and they created such an uproar that screams to silence them from Voldemort could not be heard. But finally the shouting dimmed.

'Neville, no!' Hermione yelled beside him and Ron saw Neville push free of the crowd and run forward. His wand pointed directly at Voldemort's chest, his teeth bared.

But Voldemort was far too quick for him. With a simple, almost lazy wave of his wand the snake floating in the snake above, writhing with a sickly green glow, darted down at Neville and wrapped him in a tight coil. It tugged its tail tighter whenever Neville struggled more.

'And who is this?' he asked hissing down at Neville. 'Who has come to show others what happens when they continue to fight?'

Bellatrix stepped forward letting her wand pull away from Hagrid. She let out a delighted laugh and stepped closer to Neville. The snake unravelled itself from him and vanished back into tip of Voldemort's wand, but no one was watching that as Bellatrix spoke. 'It's Neville Longbottom, my Lord,' she said with glee. 'The one who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble, the son of the Aurors, remember, my Lord?'

'Ah, yes, yes, I do.' He looked down at Neville who was struggling unarmed and unprotected in No-Man's land between the resistance and the Death Eaters. 'But you are a Pureblood, aren't you boy?'

'So what if I am?' Neville asked standing to his feet and curling his fists.

'You show such spirit, such bravery; you are of a noble stock. We need blood like yours, Longbottom. Won't you join us?'

'When all hell freezes over,' Neville said viciously and spat at the ground before Voldemort. 'Dumbledore's Army!' he cried and received an answering cheer from the resistance which Ron took part in.

'Very well, if that is your choice,' Voldemort said. 'We shall revert to the original plan. On your head is it.' Voldemort waved his wand and for a second nothing happened. But then crash sounded in one of the castles upper windows and a bird like object was flying towards him. It flew straight into his hand and Voldemort took the point of the object and waved it out so that everyone could see what it was. The Sorting Hat, ragged and old.

'There will be no more Sorting at Hogwarts! There will be no more houses. The emblem, shield and colours will be of the noble Salazar Slytherin and no more. Do you think that will suffice, Longbottom?' He shoved his wand at Neville but not touching him with it and then took the hat and forced it onto his head so that it covered his ears.

'Neville here is about to demonstrate what happens when someone disobeys me.' With flick of his wand the hit burst into flames securely lodged on Neville's head.

Too many things happened at once for Ron to keep track off as his main concern was getting the hat of Neville. Uproars from the distant boundaries of the grounds tore his attention away and people swarmed towards them, all shouting loud war shouts as they ran towards Voldemort's forces. At the exact same moment Grawp hurtled as fast as he could into the fray. His cry of, 'HAGGER!' was answered by the giants on Voldemort's side who rose to attention and lumbered towards Grawp with a stampede that could have rivalled a herd of elephants. Then the sound of hundreds of hooves came as out of the Forbidden Forest the centaurs charged on the Death Eaters firing arrows from behind them. The Death Eaters were completely surrounded and they broke away from each, shouting in surprise.

Ron ran forward to help Neville as did five other people in the moment of panic. But Neville was looking out for himself and in one quick moment he shook himself free of the Sorting Hat and pulled out from under his robes a jewelled hilt and Ron would have stopped to cheer for its recovery if he hadn't seen the snake sitting in confusion at the foot of Voldemort's feet. Ron drew his wand and firing the killing curse at the snake's head at the same time as Neville swung the blade with a shimmer of silver and cut the beast's head of with one clean sweep. Ron had known at that moment that killing curse wouldn't work on the Horcrux within but the combined forces of that and the sword left the snake well and truly dead.

Ron ran to stand beside Neville who now had to face the anger of the Dark Lord. Neville had the sword pointed right at him and Ron pointed his wand in the same direction. Voldemort raised his hand that held his wand at the pair of them and cast a spell. A torrent of green light sped out at them but it was blocked by something and they could see the heart of the spell as the light poured over their heads and around them but not hitting them.

'Did you do that?' Ron asked breathlessly to Neville who shook his head completely flabbergasted. 'Thanks for killing the snake,' he added as the stumbled as hurried in the din of the clashing sides.

Ron and Neville sped into the Great Hall where plenty of others were headed with the sole intention of cornering Voldemort who had fled inside when his snake had collapsed bloody at his feet. Around him people were brawling and duelling madly with Death Eaters. Some who had lost their wands in the fray were scrambling around the floor punching and kicked at the followers they were locked in battle with. It seemed hundreds of people had burst into the hall, before him he saw Charlie along with Percy over taking Slughorn still wearing his pyjamas. He recognized at a glance people from Hogsmeade, shop owners, bar tenders and everyone in between. The centaurs charged in behind the crowds, smashing down the door and thundering through the hall with a clatter hooves.

Suddenly and much to his surprise a small army of house-elves ran into the room carrying huge butchers knives and some wooden spoons and frying pans. Kreacher was leading the pack with Regulus' locket bouncing around his neck as he swiped at the knees and legs of Death Eaters. Ron couldn't hear what he was shouting above the din but he was certainly bellowing with all the breath in his lungs.

Ron screamed in pain as sharp objects dug into his shoulder. He spun around under this grip to see Fenrir Greyback digging his clawed fingernails into the skin of his shoulder. The werewolf had blood trickling out of the corner of his eye, nose and mouth and a crazed look in his face. He dug his nails deeper into Ron's shoulder and before Ron could cast a curse at him Neville had swung around and hit the man in the neck with the hilt of the sword. The werewolf yelped sounding much like a dog and withdrew his hand from Ron's shoulder and fell back into four legs on the floor.

'You may have got away from me at the Malfoy Manor, Weasel-bee,' Greyback snarled. 'But once I set my sights on something I want, I don't stop.' He lunged back at Ron who scrambled out of the way just in time and flung into Fleur by accident. She didn't even notice as she was busy hurrying along behind Bill menace in her eyes and furry in her spells.

'AVADA KEDARVA!' Ron yelled at Greyback but the curse missed and went flying into the wall behind the wolf and burnt through the wooden walls before hissing out. Neville had taken to using the sword more than his wand and took a slice at Greyback when he approached Ron again. Greyback howled as the sword cut through his skin and cut a clean line down his back.

Ron shot a stunning spell at Greyback and Neville stood over him and did something unseen from Ron. Ron stood and turned around but all the other Death Eaters had succumbed under the huge numbers of Dumbledore's Army and the Last Resistance. He felt cold with horror as he saw the only duels going on where between Professor McGonagall, Slughorn and Kingsley all weaving around before Voldemort casting curses when they had the opportunity and the other fight was between his mother and Bellatrix.

People had backed away to the walls and Ron followed them suddenly seeing Hermione and Seamus by his side. Neville had hurried over to a fallen Hufflepuff. All the Death Eaters had gone except Bellatrix and his mother was refusing to let anyone help her bring down the witch. She insisted she must do it alone.

'What will happen to your children when I kill you?' Bellatrix asked with a taunting sneer. 'Will they all go the same way as Freddie?' she asked in her baby voice that Ron despised. He looked around for the rest of his family and saw them all with their wands following Bellatrix in case she got the upper hand on their mother. They weren't about to let anyone else die.

'You – will – never – touch – our – children AGAIN!' his mother roared and sped up her flurry of attacks. Bellatrix laughed in a high pitched tone and darted forward. And then suddenly his mothers curse soared into Bellatrix's chest and the gloating laughter on her face ceased. Her eyes bulged and she looked down in horror before falling backwards, stone dead. Voldemort screamed as his last follower fell.

Professor McGonagall, Kingsley and Slughorn were blasted backwards by the fury of Voldemort. His last and best follower had been killed and his anger was flooding out towards his attackers. From where he stood, Ron almost felt as though he could feel it. But his joy at his mother actions ceased when Voldemort directed his wand at her with a glowering hate in his eyes.

'_PROTEGO!' _A hidden voice yelled the spell out and the shield charm filled the middle of the hall where his mother stood.

Suddenly and amazingly Harry had appeared in the centre of the room. Screams and cheers erupted into the air and Ron stood completely shocked and thrilled to the bone. Harry hadn't died. He made a move to run out into the centre of the hall to hug him but Hermione caught his wrists and held him back with more strength then Ron knew she possessed. Instead he yelled, 'HARRY!' with a burst of intense relief and joy.

But then Voldemort hungrily turned his wand towards Harry, obviously surprised but excellent at not letting it show. Harry and Voldemort began circling each other like cats in an alleyway. Ron struggled out of Hermione's constricting grasp but didn't run over to Harry.

'I don't want anyone to try and help,' Harry said loudly to the crowds standing by the walls. 'It's got to be me; it's got to be like this.'

'Potter doesn't mean that, does he?' Voldemort hissed. 'Who are you going to use as a shield now?'

'Nobody,' Harry said. 'There are no more Horcruxes; it's just you and me now. Neither of us can live while the other survives and one of us is about to leave for good ...'

'One of us?' Voldemort jeered. 'You think it will be me, do you? That the boy who survived by accident and because Dumbledore was always there to pull the strings.'

'Accident, was it, when my mother died trying to save me? Accident that I decided to fight in that graveyard, accident that I didn't defend myself tonight, still survived and returned to fight?'

'All _accidents! _Accident and chance and fact that you hid behind the skirts of greater men and women, and permitted me to kill them for you,' Voldemort said.

'You won't be killing anyone else tonight,' Harry said strongly and Ron was aware that every single person in the hall was listening to their conversation.

The talk went on for a long time, various insults, threats and information was exchanged between them. Ron was watching the conversation flip between them like quaffle being thrown to chasers. Even though Harry had told them not to act at all and let him do this, Ron still gripped his wand determined not to let anything else happen to Harry. If Voldemort killed him, he'd kill Voldemort with the help of everyone else. Either way it was Voldemort's end and if he thought he could get out of this he was painfully wrong. There was at least a hundred people standing before him and freedom, ready to kill and the slightest bit of pain he inflicted on Harry.

Ron felt he couldn't bear to listen to another minute of the conversation as the outcome was nail biting and he was as nervous and afraid as to what would happen at the end of it all. His stomach had been churning with nerves and fright ever since Harry had turned to face Voldemort in the centre of the hall.

Suddenly the enchanted sky above their heads lit up in time to the dazzling sunrise outside. The hall was filled with a glorious red glow that hit both Harry and Voldemort's faces at the same time, temporarily blinding them.

'_Avada Kedavra!' _

_'Expelliarmus!' _

The bang was louder than anything he had heard before but unlike many people in the room he didn't cover his ears, he took a step forward. Golden flames had burst where the two spells met; Voldemort's spell to Harry's. The Elder wand was soaring through the air above their heads, spinning across the enchanted ceiling like a bird through the air. Harry with incredible skill that only a Seeker could possess caught the spell with one hand just as Voldemort fell backward, his arms splaying out before him.

Voldemort hit the floor with a dull finality, his body looked feeble and shrunk and nothing compared to how terrifying it had been before. Voldemort was dead, Harry had done it, killed the greatest enemy the Wizarding world had ever met. Harry stood with no emotion on his face holding two wands in his hands, both of which were pointed towards the unmoving body of Voldemort.

Ron was the first to run forward to Harry, his heart filled with emotion as the new blazing sun danced down on him as he slammed into Harry and hugged him with all his strength. Harry hugged him back firmly pressing his head into the crook of Ron's neck. They didn't have long together as the rest of the people had thundered towards them engulfing Harry into hugs as well and clapping him on the back. All through the room deafening cheers and roars of triumph echoed around. Ron could barely hear a word that was being yelled at Harry all he knew that he would never let go of Harry again.

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It was a long time before Ron was able to see Harry alone. Everybody wanted a piece of the Golden Boy. Ron didn't mind he was quite content for the moment to sit with Hermione at a seat of the ruined Gryffindor table was watch everyone. He was so glad it was over and Harry was fine that he was in bliss. He felt like he was dreaming this seemed so surreal.

Harry had done it! He had done it and Ron couldn't be happier right now. He sat leaning against the table with Hermione speaking softly to Lavender and the Patil twins, Dean and Luna sitting near Harry away from all as received so many thanks that Ron could only watch and wait for his turn to thank Harry. Seamus was sitting beside him, lying across the table in the same way as Ron, watching Harry also.

'Can you believe it's over?' Seamus suddenly asked as Luna called out something about some kind of animal and everyone turned to where she was pointing.

'I can't believe Harry did it,' Ron said dreamily, he looked back to where Harry had been sitting beside Luna and found him gone. He didn't worry because he expected Harry to have been whisked away by someone else.

'You really love him don't you?'

'Mm,' Ron said. 'Yeah, I really do.'

'It's me,' a mutter tickled the back of neck and he heard the voice of Harry but when he turned around he saw no one. Harry was behind the cloak. 'Will you come with me? Bring Hermione took ... hey Seamus,' Harry added absently as he walked away.

Ron grinned and stood to his feet grabbing back of Hermione's cloak as he passed so that she was forced to clamber quickly out of her seat to follow.

Great chunks were missing from the Entrance Hall and people where still lying on the floor, blood spilling from them though nearly all of them were Death Eaters and could be left for the time. Ron sighed as the sadness flooded back through him. 'Really gives a scope on the actual tragedy of the whole thing, doesn't it?' he asked softly.

Harry slipped the cloak of his shoulders as they reached the first air of outside. As Ron looked out at the trampled grounds he was only aware of pain at this point. Pain for the loss of Fred, Tonks, Lupin and everyone else who had given their lives for Harry but then when Harry pulled him back into his arms, everything felt the way it should be.

'You said you were going to die,' Ron murmured into Harry's hair, just above his ear.

'I thought I was,' Harry said thanking Hermione as she gave them a bit of space. 'I really thought I was going to die and at one point, I did want to die.'

'I'm really glad you didn't,' Ron said nuzzling the side of his head.

Harry broke of the hug and simply stared at Ron for a number of seconds. 'I love you, Ron.'

'I love you too, Harry,' Ron said his eyes swelling with tears again but he didn't need to cry. He pushed the tears back and continued. 'Thank you.'

'You're welcome.'

'No, I mean for killing him,' Ron said. 'Really, you saved everyone. You really are a bloody hero now.'

Harry smirked at him and then laughed, cupping his face and standing on his toes so he could kiss him. Ron wrapped his arms around Harry's waist and deepened the kiss letting the feeling flood him. 'Love you,' he said softly when the kiss had broken off.

'You too,' Harry said back. He pulled himself from Ron's arms and went to hug Hermione who latched herself on even tighter than he had.

Ron smiled as he twirled around looking up at the castle still standing before them. The castle stood so tall and strong and it really had been the last resistance that had managed to expel the Death Eaters and the threat of Voldemort. It was over now, the war had ended and the chance for a normal life with his friends was about to begin. He couldn't be more thankful to Harry for that.

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	23. Epilogue

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**DISCLAIMER: I own none of these characters. I don't own anything related to Harry Potter. My version of the Deathly Hallows in Ron's point of view, with a few twists and turns.**

**A/N: I AM SORRY ABOUT THE ORIGINAL CHAPTER I POSTED. I decided to change it and rewrite as no one seemed to like it very much and some rude comments were generating from it. I hope this is more to everyone's taste. I know it's more to mine. ENJOY AND THANK YOU FOR READING MY STORY! I'M SO THRILLED THAT YOU ALL KEPT WITH IT FOR THIS LONG! You are all brilliant. **

**A Consistent Want  
Part Twenty-three: Epilogue**

Autumn sprang up on them quite suddenly that year. The morning of the first of September was something Ron had been looking forward to for a long time; for it would mean that he and Harry would finally have the house to themselves again. He hummed happily to himself as their small family trundled along footpath towards the great, sooty station. It was like going back to Hogwarts again for another year of adventures with Harry and it seemed weird that this year it wouldn't be them who were boarding the train. A large cage rattled on top of the trolley as Harry weaved it through the masses of people. People stared curiously at them as they passed through. A gay couple with son in tow pushing a cart laden with a trunk and a hooting owl on top was not a sight usually seen trundling towards the barrier between platforms nine and ten. 

They pushed through the barrier and Ron and Harry stopped taking delight in the expression of awe on their son's face as the platform came into view. Not much could be seen through the thick layers of mist that were swirling around the platform. Figures that looked merely like silhouettes were swarming in the gathered mist.

'You'll write to me, won't you?' Albus asked peering nervously down the platform as he looked.

'I won't,' Ron said and stuck his tongue at Albus when he made a disgruntled face. 'Kidding, I will, I will.'

'We'll write once a week,' Harry said craning his neck to look around like Albus. Merlin, the pair of them looked so similar.

Albus nodded quite happily and looked around the platform again. 'Look,' he pointed. 'There they are.'

Four figures were swarming out of the mist towards and as they came closer their faces became clearer. Hermione, Ernie Macmillan, Rose and Jack and Albus ran forward to greet his friends with immense relief.

After a quick greeting Ron and Harry manoeuvred Albus's trunk onto the train and owl onto the train. Back on the platform they found the three kids having a fiery discussion about what house they would be in.

'Harry?' Albus chirped up looking to Harry. He had longed stopped calling both his parents dad because that had sparked a lot of confusion and they couldn't tell which dad he meant half the time.

'Yeah?'

'Does it really matter what house you're in?'

'Not anymore,' Harry said.

'It used to matter a lot,' Ron cut in. 'If you think really hard about the Weasley part of you they'll put you in Gryffindor for sure, every Weasley has been in that house.'

Albus looked nervous and let out a small gulp before turning to talk to Rose and Jack as the steam thinned and gave way to three people standing by the platform and giving off the distinct air that they owned it. It was the Malfoy's. Draco was standing with a coat button up to his throat and his arm around a blonde haired woman who was taller than he was. Their son resembled Draco as much as Albus looked like Harry. Draco noticed them and nodded curtly.

'So that's little Scorpius,' Ron said with a scowl. Albus came around to look as well as did Hermione's children. Draco and his wife looked uncomfortable at the attention they were receiving from them. Ron looked down at Albus to see him staring at Scorpius with an expression of strange wonder on his face.

'Oh no, no, no,' Ron said dropping to his knees beside Albus who looked at him strangely. 'Please anyone but Malfoy's son, don't go for Malfoy's son.' Albus looked appalled at his father's random outburst and gave a scowl that was clearly Ron's before moving to stand beside Hermione and Rose.

Ron quickly moved over to Harry and whispered in his ear, 'definitely bi-sexual, do you think?' It was something they had been wondering for a while as they had caught Albus staring at girls a lot but just recently he had being giving equal attention to both gender.

'Oh, yeah,' Harry said with smile as he slung an arm around Ron's shoulders. 'That look he was giving Malfoy's kid, he has to be.'

'Merlin, do you reckon it'd be a bad thing if we put bets on how long it takes him to tell us?' Ron asked.

'What's wrong with a little fun?' Harry asked. 'I think he'll tell us this time next year.'

'Are you kidding? A lot sooner than that, just before he leaves to go back to Hogwarts after Christmas break,' Ron said. 'And he'll spend the entire holiday worrying about how to tell us.'

'One Galleon he'll tell us at the end of the year,' Harry said showing Ron a shiny Galleon.

'Two he'll tell us over Christmas break,' Ron said.

'Done.'

'We're bad parents putting bets on our children,' Ron said solemnly but all the time knowing they weren't bad parents at all.

Harry smirked and looked at his watch; the same one Ron's mother had given him for his seventh. 'It's nearly eleven,' he said to Albus, Rose and Jack. 'You had better get on board.'

Hermione immediately sank to the ground and pulled both her children into a great hug like she never wanted to let go and Ernie looked down at them with amusement before hugging them good bye also.

Ron hugged Albus and patted his hair before he moved to step into the train. 'See you at Christmas, and if you have any – absolutely anything to tell us then, don't hesitate.'

Albus gave his father another weird look before saying, 'ok, Ron. Love you.'

'Love you too, Albie.'

Ron stepped back and let Harry bend down to farewell his son. Ron snorted as he heard Harry telling Albus that he should think over serious things before telling his parents. But then Albus said something in an extremely quite whisper and Ron stepped back letting both his boys have a little privacy to talk about what they needed too. Even though Ron could still hear he didn't make a huge fuss about how secret and frightening Albus's words to Harry were and how their son needed reassuring, so he pretended he was waving to Teddy who was giving Victoire a long kiss goodbye.

'What are they all staring at?' Albus demanded as Harry patted his head and ruffled his hair. Students and parents alike were all looking towards Harry as he said goodbye to his son.

'After eleven years you still haven't even realized how famous I am, Albus?' Ron scolded teasingly. 'They are all looking at me.'

'Yeah, right,' Albus said crinkling his noise before jumping aboard the train with Rose and Jack.

Ron and Harry walked alongside the train as it began to pull away from the station. They were both watching the excited face of their son roll away for his first year at Hogwarts. The last puff of steam evaporated into the air as the train disappeared from view. It was a little sad seeing his son glide away from him like that but it would only be a matter of time before he came back.

'He'll be alright, Harry,' Ron said as the platform began to empty.

'I know,' Harry said and fell into step beside Ron as they hastened to keep up with Hermione and Ernie. As they walked along Ron turned his head to the side and caught Harry's lips in a kiss. They had the house alone for nearly seven whole years now.

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